Abstract of a Sailors Life

Like most people, I have experienced several periods of change in my adult life. I say adult life because I feel that my childhood was a pretty constant evolution with very small lulls in those transitioning years. One instance I can recall, that I feel was a clear example of transformational learning, was when I joined the Navy. Before enlisting, I was a pretty easy going kid. My life was structured, mainly by my parents, but structured none the less. I thought I knew how to get from point A to point B, with a pretty great chance of success. This theory of mine was quickly shaken, the moment I got off the bus in Great Lakes IL. I was immediately bombarded with a new learning experience. Stand here, this way. Point your toes this way, not like that. It was a dramatic shift in all that I thought I already knew how to do. There was also a very fast explanation of things I did not understand. I quickly realized that change is happening and I learned how to adjust. I learned a new way to fold my clothes; no more just hang everything up. Some things get folded, some got rolled. And yes some things did get hung up. I also learned a new respect and the importance of attention to detail. I was raised to be aware of certain details, but not to the level that I was now being required to uphold. But it eventually made sense and took me from a pretty uninformed kid to a goal oriented, detail minded Sailor.

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