Monday, January 31, 2011

Hold Your Ground!

"Hold your ground; hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!" -Aragorn (Return of the King)

I really love this quote from the Lord of the Rings because it gives me courage. It quickens the zeal that I have for accomplishing my goals. So many circumstances in my life would threaten to take my heart; my courage. If this helpless feeling that burrs itself in my soul were to have it's way with no resistance, it would ruin me. Finding out that I may be out of the Navy in five months is quite a hit. It makes me feel both excited and overwhelmed. I'm thankful for the time I've had in it, and I'm excited about the future. But there are a lot of fears, and having resistance at work only adds to the burden. I know by the grace of God that I'll make it. However, it takes courage on my part as well. I have to fight the feelings of dejection and hopelessness. I have to support my family and make sure that they know everything IS going to be alright. I must not only stand, but also support those who may not have the strength to. And I will, you see, because a fire has been lit in my soul; not only from this quote, but from the very dejection that I've experienced at my job. No matter how much I love playing music, this conquers even that. Nothing can stop me now, because I know that I'm not alone. Others are in the same boat as I am and are feeling the same dejection that I've felt so many times in the past. It is not a one time occurrence. It is not my emotions playing the devil's advocate. It is cold hard truth, and action must be taken on my part to disalign myself from the evil that has permeated my life for so long. This day I will fight!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

8-Track

Last week we had a Master Chief of some importance visit the band hall. He came to check us out, give us encouragement, and ask if everything was sufficient. The discussion ranged over a few large topic items such as the U.S.S. Enterprise's situation, and the repealing of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. During our "conversation" he changed subjects to becoming more modernized in our thinking. He related it to the difference between owning an Apple Ipod, or an 8-track player. We did a raise of hands for who owned either. Everyone but myself owned an Ipod. And of course, I raised my hand for owning an 8-track player (he was very surprised). He said that our possession of new electronic gizmos was a clear giveaway whether or not we were in touch with modern times. At the time I laughed about being the only person in the room (out of 50 plus people) who owned an 8-track player, but over the course of a week I've become saddened by how fickle our country has become. We're about the new. Now, there is nothing wrong with these things in their proper place, but blown out of proportion, they control us. The world is more than the latest thing. Instead of cherishing and passing on to future generations what have been important in our lives, we've trading them for the newest gizmo. And as I've just discussed, this permeates the military as well as our personal lives (of course, in my opinion, everything permeates everything). Its disheartening to me that we don't cherish what we have anymore. I don't think I'll be able to change the Navy; but who knows? All I know is that by the living of my life, and the influence I have on others through my example and my conversations, I am making a difference. I think I'll hold on to my 8-tracks for a while longer. The music sounds good on them, and I save a lot of money by not "updating" to new gizmos. Maybe someday I'll pass them on to my kids.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Kenyan

The summer and fall of 2006 was a dark time for me. Instead of going on a Navy cruise and seeing the world with the band, they sent me for 8 months to another base away from the band to stand guard duty as auxiliary security. I was fairly new to the band, fairly new to Virginia, single, and no friends to speak of (I was, at least then, a bit of an introvert). So my dreams of being a musician were put on hold for that time with no foreseeable future of playing trombone. I was a Navy cop. Suffice it to say, I was pretty bitter.

Standing gate duty for 13 hours can get pretty monotonous and depressing. Not much but your partner and your thoughts to keep you company for over half a day at a time. Of course, there's always the Navy training videos to boost the ol' morale, but there isn't much more motivation or growth within the job to speak of.

I remember the Admiral of that base driving through every so often, giving us a slight glance but never saying a word. Other officers as well were very cold in most cases (of course there are always exceptions). From these experiences, I made it up in my mind that the Navy really wasn't for me and that I would ride out my enlistment at the security forces, get out of the Navy, go back to Oregon, and never touch the trombone again. At this point in time I had something to look forward to. Something was in my future and was getting closer. All I had to do was wait.

One evening while I was on the gate, a man came walking up in casual clothing looking like a civilian. While I thought he would continue on without even looking at me, he actually turned into the gate and showed me an international officer badge signifying that he was of Kenyan origin. Naturally, I was a little flabbergasted, but I waved him on and expected him to continue with no further contact with me. But he didn't. He asked how I was doing, where I was from, and a lot of very friendly questions in a sincere manner. I conversed with him for a few minutes and he apologized profusely and stated that he had to cut our conversation short because he had an appointment to be at. We parted ways and I didn't think too much more of it except at how friendly a Kenyan officer could be while my own officers never gave me more than a passing glance.

Later on that evening, I noticed that same Kenyan walking towards me once more. He looked very happy to see me still standing at the gate and made haste to reach me. Once he engaged me, he asked how my time was since he'd seen me last (which was just a few hours prior). We spoke for a long time (probably about 30 minutes) about life and the weather, and just about every friendly thing two men could speak. I bid him good night, and we parted ways once more.

Over the course of the next few months, we spoke on a regular basis and became good friends. I looked forward to going to work just to be able to speak with my friend one more time. My friend the Kenyan officer. I was just a seaman in the U.S. Navy mind you. I was (and still am in my opinion) nobody. But this man understood my situation and went out of his way to befriend me. When he left to go back to his own country, he had a picture taken of me and him. He told me that he wanted to show his family back in Kenya his good friend. I was very important to him he told me, and he was very sad that he had to go, but would remember me always.

I never saw this man again, and I don't know if I ever will. But our friendship taught me a very important lesson. We are all in this human race together. It doesn't matter what rank I am, or what race I am, or what education I have. We all have struggles that we must trudge through, and without the support and friendship of others, we'll never make it. It doesn't matter how many morale boosters I'm fed; without the camaraderie of our fellow human beings, we'll never be motivated. This has changed my life. Its made me a bit more hard boiled as well. But I believe that I've become a better person.

I don't know how you'll take this story, but its inspired me to continue on with my job in the Navy up until present. I hope that you too can find a friend in your job and not just the job in it. Because without each other, we're lost.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Edifying Thoughts of a Tobacco Smoker.

Whene're I take my pipe and stuff it
And smoke to pass the time away
My thoughts, as I sit there and puff it
Dwell on a picture sad and grey
It teaches me that very like
Am I myself unto my pipe

Like me this pipe, so fragrant burning
Is made of naught but earthen clay
To earth I too shall be returning
And cannot halt my slow decay
My well used pipe, now cracked and broken
Of mortal life is but a token

No stain, the pipe's hue yet doth darken
It remains white. Thus do I know
That when to death's call I must hearken
My body too, all pale will grow
To black beneath the sod 'twill turn
Likewise the pipe, if oft it burn

Or when the pipe is fairly glowing
Behold then instantaneously
The smoke off into thin air going
'Til naught but ask is left to see
Man's fame likewise away will burn
And unto dust his body turn

How oft' it happens when one's smoking
The tamper's missing from it's shelf
And on goes with one's finger poking
Into the bowl and burns oneself
If in the pipe such pain doth dwell
How hot must be the pains of Hell!

Thus o'er my pipe in contemplation
Of such things - I can constantly
Indulge in fruitful meditation
And so, puffing contentedly
On land, at sea, at home, abroad
I smoke my pipe and worship God.

-Johann Sebastian Bach (1725)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Old Swedish Proverbs.

I've been thinking recently that blessings are of utmost importance in life. Jesus himself told us to bless, not curse. And yet, our lives are filled with so many curses. I would like to dig into my Swedish roots a little and highlight a few old Swedish proverbs. I hope you enjoy them.

"Love me when I least deserve it, because that's when I really need it."

"Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; love more, and all good things will be yours."

"Eyes that do not cry, do not see."

"The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm."

"What breaks in a moment may take many years to mend."

"If you buy what you don't need, you steal from yourself."

"A life without love is like a year without summer."

"Don't throw away the old bucket until you know whether the new one holds water."

"Don't let your sorrow come higher than your knees."

"The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected."

"Sweep first before your own door, before you sweep the doorsteps of your neighbours."

"When a blind man carries a lame man, both go forward."

"Wisdom is in the head, not in the beard."

"One should go invited to a friend in good fortune, and uninvited in misfortune."

"No one becomes a good doctor until he fills a churchyard."

"Worry gives a small thing a big shadow."

I hope you can use these in your own life, and maybe bless someone else's by them.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Heritage

Recently, I've been in touch with some of my family that I haven't either met before, or haven't seen in a good long while. You see, there was a falling out on my Dad's side of the family. People took offense, or had personal problems, or something. And these "problems" inhibited them from keeping in contact. But here's the kicker; their kids and their kids kids didn't talk to each other because of these problems. That is why it is so important to not take offense. It doesn't only affect you, it affects everybody else. And you've just created a problem that didn't exist before that could span generations! Every thought, word, and deed creates a ripple effect within the spiritual realm. And even though it may seem invisible, if you're looking for it, its as plain as day. This happened in my family. I have generations of musicians and artists that I had no knowledge of before. I make a living as a musician for crying out loud! Heritage is important, you see. It tells you not only the weaknesses that lie in your genes, but the strengths and talents. And by keeping a close bond with those that share the same blood as you, it creates a strength for overcoming weaknesses that you may have thought impossible to overcome. It instills meaning, security and love in the heart. You may call it vanity, but I have a new drive to become a better human being so that my family will be proud of me. I want to overcome my weaknesses and show that the name of Osberg has meaning.