What will you do when you get home?

2011.  Afghanistan

We were having that conversation last night.  You know, the "What are you going to do when you get home?"-one.  The one where the guy with the fewest days left gets shot shortly after, probably just before he boards the helicopter that takes him out of the combat zone.  The one where the fresh-fashed, eager,young idealist embarrasses himself with talk about the glory of war and how he is going to marry his school sweetheart, before dying horribly in some vain and pathetic way, probably on a doomed-from-the-start patrol, codenamed "Operation 50-50", or "Mission Certain Death". I tend to avoid any missions with dubious operation names (mostly the American ones - they actually had an operation called (in Pashtun) "Operation Get-some"  Hmmm.  Steer clear of that one.)  Anyway, luckily, I wasn't the youngest, I am already married and I still have quite a while left on my tour.  I think I will be ok.  Not sure about Dave though...Probably stop talking to him.  Anyway, we were having that conversation again.  I say again, because we have it a lot.  Even though, if we paid attention the first time, we would know how long Stefan has left and what job John is going to do on his return.  We have the conversation again though because when we had it last time we didn't really listen to what anyone else said.  Mostly because we don't really care.  We don't care that Bruce likes Harleys, American Colins mother was Scottish, or that Parkys wife is a bit of a nag.  We have the conversation, listen, sometimes politely, to other peoples answers and bide our time until it's our turn to speak.  We then regale everyone with our pipedreams, plans, half-baked ideas and sometimes even an honest answer or two.  I am sure they listen to me.

Anyway, the point is, that, to a man, everyone here wants to do something when they return to whatever country they call home.  It may be build a summerhouse by the lake in Sweden, drive across Europe on a motorbike, restore a car or learn to play the guitar.  It doesn't really matter what it is, but everyone has something.  I think it's because we realise a few things.  Firstly, we realise that a day is an awful long time and secondly, we waste an indescribable amount of that very valuable time.  If we worked the hours we work here on the things we love, we could accomplish great things.  If we invested the time we spend here with our children, wives and families, we would be happier.  If we just got off our bums, stopped wasting that precious time, and actually did stuff, life would be better.  I am convinced it's true.  I am so convinced it's true that I have great plans for when I get home.  I am going to get an extension, I am going to buy the Land Rover Defender I have always really wanted and I am going make the effort to go to the hills walking more.  I am going to take the family camping more (whether they like it or not),  I am going to go places and I am going to do things. I am going to enjoy what I have, make the best of it and live life the way it's meant to be lived.

Dave's off to the Tangy valley tomorrow.  Hope he'll be ok.