A 20 year old young man and his Leatherneck buddies were staged south of the line in Kuwait waiting for the President to give the orders for Operation Iraqi Freedom to take place. While waiting in Kuwait he thought about how this could be his last service here on earth, the potential loss of close buddies in battle, not seeing his family and friends again, and not being able to hug his mom one more time. His mind was also filled with adrenaline, pride, honor, freedom, love for country, and anticipating the feel of recoil from his weapon. All of a sudden he heard his captain say, “Break their will to fight and get them to surrender.”
The II Marine Expeditionary Force would punch their way through An Nasiriyah facing fierce fighting from the Iraqi forces. In the end, the marines were victorious. During this crucial battle 18 Marines made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. This young marine celebrated and wept at the same time after the battle ended. Little did he know the biggest fight he would ever face was waiting for him back at home.
The young marine, now a proven Leatherneck and Devil Dog, decided to hang up his battle boots. Although he was no longer in the Marine Corps, he could not find it within himself to move too far away from Camp Lejeune. While living in North Carolina he started isolating himself from friends and family. He wanted to be alone and had little desire to live an active life. He started having nightmares about his battle buddies he lost during the war. He would wake up sweating and breathing hard. He tried to continue on with his life by attending college and hanging out with his roommates, but the dark cloud was still looming over his head. Then one day everything came crashing down around him. This resulted in him turning to alcohol and drugs for comfort and support. As time passed, he realized things were not getting any better and he needed a change if he wanted his soul to be rejuvenated. He was encouraged by his family and friends to seek medical help. The doctor would inform him he was suffering from PTSD — a fight he would battle for the rest of his life.
The battle-scarred marine decided to start his new journey in life by moving to the farm, which would later become known as Warrior Rendezvous Farm Stay. After getting settled in his new home, he started taking hikes around the farm. These hikes gave him the opportunity to hear the wind going through the pine trees, take in fresh air, enjoy the calming sounds of a variety of songbirds, listen to the stream that runs through the land, and take in the beautiful painted hillside with wildflowers blooming throughout the spring. This step started the healing process that he was so desiring to have in his life.
Next he found himself having a desire to grow a vegetable garden. He studied what type of vegetables grow best in this area and the nutrients needed to grow them well. He would spend endless hours in the early morning and late evening tending to the garden throughout the spring and summer. He would take time to stop working to take in the beautiful sunrise and sunset. At the end of the day, he would look at the garden with amazement at what he was able to accomplish with his hands and the help of God.
He would later say there is something about being in God’s magnificent creation that heals the soul. He started having a reason to wake up each morning, a drive to accomplish things on the farm, a desire to produce wonderful tasting vegetables, a love for life, and most importantly a purpose in life. This reminds me of a Native American proverb:
“All things share the same breath — the beast, the tree, the man. The air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.”
He realized he needed nature in order to have a feeling of completeness in his life.
This proven warrior, both on and off the battlefield, is my brother. He is the reason that I want to provide this type of environment free to our military veterans and their families. This peaceful, all-natural environment will provide them with an opportunity to reconnect with their inner-being and start their new journey in life.
The Cherokees would say:
“When a man moves away from nature, his heart becomes hard.”
It is imperative for all humans to remain connected to nature. Warrior Rendezvous Farm Stay is committed to creating this opportunity for others.
This post is in honor of Cpl Jonathan Harris.
