Thinking

by: L Jones 

“Fall in.” I stand tall; chin up and shoulders back. “Suck in that gut”, I remind myself as I stand rigid on a 76 degree Fahrenheit Wednesday morning in Hawaii, waiting for my soldiers to form up for physical training formation also called PT. Everyone moves with a purpose, effectively converting the gaggle of individuals into one rectangular fighting force. Today’s a good day to be in the Army.

But today is not a day for fighting; it’s a day for physical exertion and mental fatigue. It’s a day for too many push ups and too long a run. It’s time for a strong mind and an iron will.

A few miles into the run, I see recognize the look of defeat in some of their eyes. “It’s just a few moments out of your lives” I scream. “Get your minds right.” A few more miles go by and we are nearing the original starting point. A look of relief hijacks their weary eyes; but I know better. I know that our leaders are not going to stop at the starting point; they’re going to run right by that point and go for about another mile and then turn around and come back. I’ve seen it before. Their minds have surrendered themselves to the hopes of stopping at that point. I scream out, “Get your minds right” but the mind is a powerful thing. It was midnight as soon as we reach that starting point, because that rectangular fighting force transforms right back into a gaggle of individuals.

After much hollering, coaching and threats, the formation forms back up, we run the extra mile and stop the run immediately after. All you hear is coughing and vomiting and complaining and then, “AT EASE!” and it all stops. The mind does matter.  

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