Ties That Bind

I stood with my father in front of the gates of the United States Naval Academy on July 5th, 1977, listening to him sing to me an old Irish Ballad, 'Boy of Mine'. With his arms on my shoulders, his piercing blue eyes gazed into my own tear streaked hazel. I was about to enter the Naval Academy as a freshman, or Plebe, for Plebe summer, with the class of 1981. And it was the last place I wanted to be. My Dad was trying to understand why. He knew I had spent every year from the age of 5 dreaming of this day, wanting to be part of the Navy, as he had been in World War II.

But times change. Feelings change. And, seemingly, mine had as well. I had spent a year at the Naval Academy Prep School. In that relatively free environment, I had realized that there were many options in life for a 19 year old. And I was confused. But, at his urging I entered the grounds, took the oath, and began the journey I'm still on today. Right from that first moment, I met men and women in similar straits. Some scared, some confused, some confident and excited. Some determined, some not so sure. The first thing I did, though, was reach out, to as many as I could. And with each connection, I felt stronger, calmer, no longer 'alone'. We shared 'who' we were, not even realizing that it wasn't our name, or where we were from. It was what we liked, what we didn't like, how we reacted...to everything!...How we would, in the end, be a friend. I went out for the sport of crew later on that summer, and it was the same, but in a smaller circle, and, if possible, much more intense, and with different ties. Because, in fact, the entire time at the Academy was devoted to establishing the 'TIES THAT BIND' us to each other. As many as we could.

In these times now of stress, uncertainty, and fear, the last thing we need to do is turn away from each other, even as our physical isolation increases. With positive energy, we show our leadership by reaching out to all we know and love, and to those we have yet to have the opportunity to do the same with, and we establish as many and as powerfully hewn ties that bind as possible. We will never be alone, then. We will always be powerful, and supported, even as our moods and our determination wax and wane. Tomorrow, we will explore how to energize those ties, so that, in the end, they stay long after the crisis that has created their need is gone.