shy writes - 04/11

... and i found this note (excerpt) a bit heart-wrenching to receive this early morn -

Had another rough time out there. Sensing some burnout
amongst my colleagues (and a little with myself).  Last night
was first night I had more than 3 hours uninterrupted sleep
in about a week.  Need to stay focused otherwise you could
get hurt out there.  

- for which this dovetails with several notes i've sent to shy about on-going growing emotions i have been having when i hear the news, read publications, etc. about efforts/troops in iraq (and those soon to be deployed to iraq).

my intentions have been to write shy every day (for which i have been pretty good about doing so). i create an on-going e-mail thread from my response to his notes to me. most of the notes i received from shy tend to span about a week or about 10-days. it's totally a treat (tho' not often) to get some within a few days of each other!

i was asked by a friend recently - what do you all write about? for me, it has been about l'il things going on over on this end of the world - tidbits of my life, thoughts in my head, stuff with family, and snippets of news.

with shy's recent note, i re-read the e-mail thread i sent over. an excerpt of my note to him follows:

thank you for your thoughtfulness and empathy, and i am
humbled that you have even taken time to offer words of
encouragement (so unnecessary and so unselfish of you).

at the same time, i am embarrassed to say that when re-reading
my string of notes to you this previous round, i feel horribly
selfish of "journaling" my days with the on-goings with *****.
so i find myself apologizing for my selfishness of providing
details and just being a dork.

as well as also writing ...

so i say to you, dear shy, do be focused with the strength
that you have - as i also pray that you and your colleagues
continue to have the physical, emotional, and spiritual
strength to continue to weather the "auditions" you all have.

be well, and i hope you know that you are dearly missed and
always in my thoughts and prayers. i look forward to the days
when we can talk about what you bought at banana republic or
where you went for brunch or dinner. most importantly, i look
forward to the day when you say - "it's time! get your airplane
tickets to head over to (any place but where i'm at!!!).
i'm coming home."

shy ... until the next round of notes, type at me later!

peace.