cameronfietz-crwr213-blog

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Wondrous Opportunities

      It is the night of my graduation ceremony. My family and friends have come together to celebrate the endless possibilities that my future contains. My coming-up job interviews fill the room with discussion due to friends’ curiosity about my options. I find myself with a motif explanation on how they are all wonderful opportunities; however, I am hoping to work for something with a much greater purpose. 

      Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of working with something involved with outer-space. Just a few years ago while I was in my undergraduate studies, Elon Musk visited my town of Santa Rosa, California and chose a select few to present in front of him and his team to demonstrate new marketing schemes that would increase sponsorships for his company Space X. After I was selected among 9 others, my childhood passion for outer-space was brought back to life, and I made it my new mission to work for Space X. 

      Though the chances were slim-to-none, I still held on to the hope that Elon would one day call me and recruit me for his marketing team. It was when I was discussing this dream to my friends that I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket as someone was calling me. As I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone, I read the caller ID in complete disbelief and remain frozen as if my body was paralyzed…

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      SMACK! My friend slaps me across the back of my head yelling to take the call. I immediately rush into a quiet room and collect my nerves as I press “answer.” 

      “Hello, this is Elon, I am leaving an automated message to let you know that you have been selected to be a part of our team here at Space X. Your job offered is the President of Marketing for the state of Texas where you will be accommodated throughout your years of research and advertising. You have exactly two weeks to accept or decline this offer from the date you receive this message. Call this number back when you are ready to discuss your decision. Thank-you and we hope to have you on our team here in Houston.”

      Two weeks… I have two weeks to decide if I am willing to leave my family and life at home to pursue my dream. I have two weeks to decide if I want to leave my girlfriend and take my chances with finding a wife overseas. I have only two weeks to redirect my life to a whole new path of opportunity and wonder. 

      With a blink of an eye, those two weeks were up. Having support from family, friends, and even my new “ex”-girlfriend, I decided to take the job offer and pursue a new life down in Houston, Texas.

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A New Family

      It has been four years since I last visited California. With years of extensive research and hard work, I have managed to fund my family and friends to come and visit me, here in Houston, throughout the holidays. I could not be more thankful for this opportunity to come down to Texas as the start of my new life has led me to where I am now: on one knee, about to propose to my girlfriend whom I have seen for the past two years. It is time. I manage to anxiously shake the four words out of my mouth: “Will you marry me.”

      Without a slight hesitation, she said the words that rang through my ears like the melody of a country song by Rhett Akins.

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      All in all, we were engaged. Excitement and joy ran through our veins as we immediately began planning for our wedding and honeymoon. 

      After hours turned into days, and days turned into weeks, my fiancé found herself quite sick as if she has come down with the flu. Two weeks have passed since I asked her to marry me… and with that in mind, I suggested for her to take a pregnancy test. She turns and looks at me with eyes filled with sublime emotion as she begins to assume that is the reason she is feeling this way.

      So the next chapter begins… I have created a comfortable life for myself down here in Houston, Texas, and within two weeks of engagement to the love of my life, I have been given notice that the next chapter will involve my own child. Two weeks is all it took to make me appreciate the fragility and beauty of life. Two weeks is all it took for me to shift my focus from one that was self-centered to one that is focused on providing for my soon-to-be child. Two weeks notice is what gives my life a whole new meaning to “family”.

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A Greater Purpose

      The sun is illuminating the sky with its summer warmth. The atmosphere is shining a clear, bright blue as it is a summer day here in Houston, Texas. My newly wedded wife and I decided to throw a gender reveal party out on our front yard as a celebration and to reconnect with distant family. The moment has come... everyone gathers around in suspense as they prepare for the grand gender reveal. My wife and I light the firework together and watch as the fuse burns down to blow the colored confetti signifying the baby’s gender. BOOM! Confetti fills the air.

      I am overwhelmed with excitement and joy. I look to my best friend who returns the emotion with a gesture that signifies a “winning” connotation.

      My fiancé and I begin to ponder the endless possible futures of our little boy and the type of man he will become. Who will he look like more? How old will he be until he meets his first girlfriend?  Will he go off to college and pursue a job of his passion? What will his passions be? So many questions for such a young couple attempting to make sense of this new concept of “Parenthood”. 

      I am instantly snapped back to reality as a military truck begins to roll down our street delivering, what appears to be, mail to every house in the neighborhood. I tell my wife and friends it is nothing to worry about; however, inside I am anxious as to the military personnel’s reasoning. My wife grasps my arm and holds me close as the truck slows down in front of our house and comes to a sudden halt. A tall, built man in uniform, with a rough face, exits the vehicle and approaches us.

      “Good evening Ma’am. Sir, welcome to the United States Army- your tribute to your country will be an act of heroism”. You have two weeks to prepare yourself for boot camp. See you then Private.”

      Two weeks... The Sergeant saying this replays in my head over and over again.

      The Sergeant hands me an enclosed letter that is sealed with the emblem of the United States Army. My body goes cold. This must be a mistake. It cannot be real. I frantically tear open the envelope to realize that I have been automatically enrolled by the U.S. government to fight in a war against North Korea.

      My wife’s shock breaks down to a heaving cry, my life goes into slow-motion as my thoughts bounce around the inside of my head as if they are ping pong balls reviewing the pros and cons of fighting or fleeing. The longest five minutes of my life pass, and I conclude that I must fight for the safety of my family and this country.

      The two weeks pass, and I find myself standing at the end of my driveway hugging my wife. Behind me is my escort vehicle filled with the other men from my street who will be fighting as well. It is time for me to say goodbye to a life of peace to fight for a greater purpose and reason, which is, after all, what I wanted from the beginning isn’t it? 

      I enter the back of the vehicle where my comrades are sitting, each with a glass of champagne, and one that has been poured for me.

A comrade makes a toast: “Here’s to the next chapter men. One that will secure the future for generations to come.”