Reflecting On The Past
Today I want to talk on reflecting on my past prior to 2010... Well not really I want to go even more back in my past...actually to my last two years in the especially between 1988 till I got out in 1990. So the other day I was searching Facebook and put in the group search the last ship I was on USS Wainwright...and out of my there was a group and of course I got curious I had to know more...you know the person I am or maybe you don’t...when I am set on something or had to know something, I have to know everything about not some or partial...I have to know every detail. So that is what I did. So I joined the group and hold and behold I found so of my shipmates and didn't have to pay a dime for it. The Navy was some of the nest and some of the worst times in my life.
Someone recently asked me if I could would I go back in time and change anything in my past? I didn't have to dwell on the question to long and of course the answer was no. Even though I have had some bad times in my past but I learned a lot so no I wouldn't change a thing... The one and only thing I do regret in my past is not staying in the Navy a little longer but it wasn't meant to be.
The navy thought me a lot the number one thing it taught me was to grow from a immature boy into a grown man, at first it was hard to and I did get it trouble my first few years I hanged around the boys...but boys will be boys right? Well being one of the boys did get me in some trouble. It took some harsh learning, but once it was drilled into my head I became a man, don't get me wrong being a man doesn't mean you can't get into trouble, men get in trouble all the all the time, besides guys will be guys. It also taught me to be more open and not to be as shy...even all these years later I am still shy sometime, you wouldn't think so now, but it's true I am still shy sometimes.
So no regrets in joining the navy I learned so much in the four years I was in. I learned a lot and met many friends who after twenty plus years I am in contact with and who are very good friends. So that right there to me worth more than any bad experience I went through while I was serving. I left the navy with many friends who would do anything for me if it is in thief power... As I weigh my experiences in the navy I had lot more good times than bad times so in the end of my career in the navy it was so worth and I would do it again if I could so that would be the one thing if I could change my past was to have served more time...but it wasn't in the cards.
Sometimes when I am down and depressed which isn't very often, but I am human and it happens to the best of us...when I am thinking not straight or if I'm feeling depressed and think my past life was worthless or that I wasted my life or I was a failure, than I come back to realization, that none of that was true it was far from the truth. I have many things to be thankful for even though most of 2009 wasn't the greatest of years. First when I almost lost hope in life...we have to go back to November of 2008 when I dedicated my life to the Goddess and the dedication to the Pagan and Wiccan way and the introduction to the Craft of witchcraft...it changed my life... It is really hard to explain it in words all I can say it change me. It changed the way I think, the way I believe in things. Today I look at the world and my life in a new and different way...I am renewed than I was a few years ago, back than I was ready to give up. Today I am ready for anything and there is no such word as giving up. Today I am so happy to be alive.
There are many things past and present that I am thankful of. I have a job even though it's not the highest paying job in the world, but is a job I like and the people there will bend backwards for me to make sure I get to and from work...I don't drive something I should have done years ago but that something I have to do now to learn to drive and that is in the works with family and friends at work...when I was let go at the VA hospital in early 2009 I lived with brother than I moved in with my parents which is where I am now. My ride to and from work was my dad who got sick and was put in a short term assisted living. So my friends have helped me in getting to and from work. I am greatful for everything they have done for me going out of their way to help...and that right there means a lot to me...so I am thankful for finding the job when I did.
So August I found a job that wasn't the highest paying job in the world, but I met a group of people who have shown me that there are people who are still caring and that to mean more than any high paying job in the world.
Which brings me to September of last year; I met Ang my friend, my girlfriend, my soul mate. She is the most awesome person any person could know or be with. She is the reason I keep going, she is my shining star, my hon. my sweetheart, my best friend, my girlfriend and my soul mate, and she is the reason why life is so worth it. To My Ang I love you so much thank you for coming into my life when you did, you have been there for me when I needed you even sometimes you don't think so. Thank you for everything you have done for me, you have made my life so worth it. You are the greatest girlfriend that any guy can ask for...You have made this ole boy the happiest guy in the world and I thank you for that. Thank you for being part of my life.
For my Pagan and Wiccan friends I thank each and every one of you who have been there for me and having the patience with my zillion questions and giving advice and guiding me on the right path. You are my special friends and I thank you from the bottom of my heart... I have really been blessed and I am privileged in learning from the best. Blessed be to all my spiritual friends.
Everything I have learned in life started from I was in the navy a group of guy stuck on a ship in small living quarters. We all learned from each other from the sea dog who was a lifer who made the Navy there life to the young squid who had no clue what they got their self into, not knowing if the Navy was there bread and butter for the next twenty or so years or if it was going to be a short term adventure and a experience that will follow them for the rest of their lives. Boys would become men and would me the most diversify culture of men in the world and it didn't matter your race or color what matter these guys would become friends and it will last a lifetime and really that is all that matters. We would leave the navy and live different lives but. The friendship in the navy would be a value that would never leave us we will always remember the friends and would think of them and the good times and something that can't ever be taken from us. Memories will always be there.
To wrap everything up...got to love my writing they tend to be long, anyway I do miss the navy sometimes, it thought me a lot it was my stepping stone in becoming a man and it was the navy who define who I am today. The short four year I learned who I was. Them days I have many good memories and experiences. What I learned in them days I still use today. I do think if I didn't join the navy that my life would be different in a bad way I think. I have no regrets going in the navy what I learned is special to me. I want to thank all my shipmates’ friends and acquaintances of the Uss Simon Lake and USS Wainwright thank you for letting me become a person who I am today. You have given me a lifetime of memories that I will never forget. I know I did not know everyone and if I had more time back than I would have known more of you guys and gals. Thank you to all the shipmates I have stayed in contact with over the years. I will never forget you all and what I learned from you all. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. What I learned in the navy I use today in my life in how I was taught how I learned to believe in things and how I think today. Years have passed and yes I am older and wiser, the navy still close to my heart the navy made me more open and it made into a person a person who I am today. As I got older I learned more especially when I became a Wiccan and even more once I met my girlfriend Ang. So I thank everyone who has taught me things. So my life as I reflect on it now is nothing but happiness and the memories are mostly of good memories and of good experience... Yes I did have some bad times but what have learned from the Navy, the Wiccan and Pagan faith and all my friends within the circle, my friends, my family, and my girlfriend is to be positive and to get rid of negativism. With the help from people dating back to 1986...I give credit to each and everyone for without all you I would not be who I am today. Thank you all for showing me that in the end no matter what's going on in life good or bad that life is worth it. That everything in the end turns out good.
Peace and love to all my friends
Dale Jeffrey Henderson. AKA Jale
Twisted Journal of Jale
Blessed be
Empire of Jale
Someone recently asked me if I could would I go back in time and change anything in my past? I didn't have to dwell on the question to long and of course the answer was no. Even though I have had some bad times in my past but I learned a lot so no I wouldn't change a thing... The one and only thing I do regret in my past is not staying in the Navy a little longer but it wasn't meant to be.
The navy thought me a lot the number one thing it taught me was to grow from a immature boy into a grown man, at first it was hard to and I did get it trouble my first few years I hanged around the boys...but boys will be boys right? Well being one of the boys did get me in some trouble. It took some harsh learning, but once it was drilled into my head I became a man, don't get me wrong being a man doesn't mean you can't get into trouble, men get in trouble all the all the time, besides guys will be guys. It also taught me to be more open and not to be as shy...even all these years later I am still shy sometime, you wouldn't think so now, but it's true I am still shy sometimes.
So no regrets in joining the navy I learned so much in the four years I was in. I learned a lot and met many friends who after twenty plus years I am in contact with and who are very good friends. So that right there to me worth more than any bad experience I went through while I was serving. I left the navy with many friends who would do anything for me if it is in thief power... As I weigh my experiences in the navy I had lot more good times than bad times so in the end of my career in the navy it was so worth and I would do it again if I could so that would be the one thing if I could change my past was to have served more time...but it wasn't in the cards.
Sometimes when I am down and depressed which isn't very often, but I am human and it happens to the best of us...when I am thinking not straight or if I'm feeling depressed and think my past life was worthless or that I wasted my life or I was a failure, than I come back to realization, that none of that was true it was far from the truth. I have many things to be thankful for even though most of 2009 wasn't the greatest of years. First when I almost lost hope in life...we have to go back to November of 2008 when I dedicated my life to the Goddess and the dedication to the Pagan and Wiccan way and the introduction to the Craft of witchcraft...it changed my life... It is really hard to explain it in words all I can say it change me. It changed the way I think, the way I believe in things. Today I look at the world and my life in a new and different way...I am renewed than I was a few years ago, back than I was ready to give up. Today I am ready for anything and there is no such word as giving up. Today I am so happy to be alive.
There are many things past and present that I am thankful of. I have a job even though it's not the highest paying job in the world, but is a job I like and the people there will bend backwards for me to make sure I get to and from work...I don't drive something I should have done years ago but that something I have to do now to learn to drive and that is in the works with family and friends at work...when I was let go at the VA hospital in early 2009 I lived with brother than I moved in with my parents which is where I am now. My ride to and from work was my dad who got sick and was put in a short term assisted living. So my friends have helped me in getting to and from work. I am greatful for everything they have done for me going out of their way to help...and that right there means a lot to me...so I am thankful for finding the job when I did.
So August I found a job that wasn't the highest paying job in the world, but I met a group of people who have shown me that there are people who are still caring and that to mean more than any high paying job in the world.
Which brings me to September of last year; I met Ang my friend, my girlfriend, my soul mate. She is the most awesome person any person could know or be with. She is the reason I keep going, she is my shining star, my hon. my sweetheart, my best friend, my girlfriend and my soul mate, and she is the reason why life is so worth it. To My Ang I love you so much thank you for coming into my life when you did, you have been there for me when I needed you even sometimes you don't think so. Thank you for everything you have done for me, you have made my life so worth it. You are the greatest girlfriend that any guy can ask for...You have made this ole boy the happiest guy in the world and I thank you for that. Thank you for being part of my life.
For my Pagan and Wiccan friends I thank each and every one of you who have been there for me and having the patience with my zillion questions and giving advice and guiding me on the right path. You are my special friends and I thank you from the bottom of my heart... I have really been blessed and I am privileged in learning from the best. Blessed be to all my spiritual friends.
Everything I have learned in life started from I was in the navy a group of guy stuck on a ship in small living quarters. We all learned from each other from the sea dog who was a lifer who made the Navy there life to the young squid who had no clue what they got their self into, not knowing if the Navy was there bread and butter for the next twenty or so years or if it was going to be a short term adventure and a experience that will follow them for the rest of their lives. Boys would become men and would me the most diversify culture of men in the world and it didn't matter your race or color what matter these guys would become friends and it will last a lifetime and really that is all that matters. We would leave the navy and live different lives but. The friendship in the navy would be a value that would never leave us we will always remember the friends and would think of them and the good times and something that can't ever be taken from us. Memories will always be there.
To wrap everything up...got to love my writing they tend to be long, anyway I do miss the navy sometimes, it thought me a lot it was my stepping stone in becoming a man and it was the navy who define who I am today. The short four year I learned who I was. Them days I have many good memories and experiences. What I learned in them days I still use today. I do think if I didn't join the navy that my life would be different in a bad way I think. I have no regrets going in the navy what I learned is special to me. I want to thank all my shipmates’ friends and acquaintances of the Uss Simon Lake and USS Wainwright thank you for letting me become a person who I am today. You have given me a lifetime of memories that I will never forget. I know I did not know everyone and if I had more time back than I would have known more of you guys and gals. Thank you to all the shipmates I have stayed in contact with over the years. I will never forget you all and what I learned from you all. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. What I learned in the navy I use today in my life in how I was taught how I learned to believe in things and how I think today. Years have passed and yes I am older and wiser, the navy still close to my heart the navy made me more open and it made into a person a person who I am today. As I got older I learned more especially when I became a Wiccan and even more once I met my girlfriend Ang. So I thank everyone who has taught me things. So my life as I reflect on it now is nothing but happiness and the memories are mostly of good memories and of good experience... Yes I did have some bad times but what have learned from the Navy, the Wiccan and Pagan faith and all my friends within the circle, my friends, my family, and my girlfriend is to be positive and to get rid of negativism. With the help from people dating back to 1986...I give credit to each and everyone for without all you I would not be who I am today. Thank you all for showing me that in the end no matter what's going on in life good or bad that life is worth it. That everything in the end turns out good.
Peace and love to all my friends
Dale Jeffrey Henderson. AKA Jale
Twisted Journal of Jale
Blessed be
Empire of Jale
