When July 25 finally came, Nate and I both felt it had been the longest summer of our lives. But at last, his time at Ft. Riley was winding down, and the only thing in the way of our togetherness was his graduation ceremony. I didn’t get to see him beforehand, but as I climbed into the outdoor grandstand with hundreds of others, I knew I was within a couple of hours of throwing my arms around him and delivering some of the kisses I’d saved for this day.
Families had come from all over the country, and the festivities of the morning kicked off exactly on time. Seated in row upon row of wooden bleachers, we all watched the impressive parade of cadets as they marched past us. After weeks of practice, they knew how to walk in flawless formation, paying close attention to the rhythmic calls of their commanding officers.
The program included a fire-power demonstration and other visuals that showed us what cadet training had been like for these men. All of it was impressive, but the only thing on my mind was that moment when Nate and I would connect. As interesting as the ceremony was, I was ready to climb into his VW hatch-back, close the doors, and head north to our new life together. And somewhere out on that field of military humanity, I knew Nate was thinking the same thing.
When the men were finally set free, I saw Nate split from the others and break into a run, making a bee-line for his fiancé. Kisses and hugs began happening all around us, but the only thing we knew for sure was that ours were the very sweetest.
I was extremely proud of Nate. He had successfully completed another section of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program, a course considered to be “one of the most demanding and successful leadership programs in the country.” And within the hour, we were on our way to a brand new life!
”If I give over my body to hardship… but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Cor. 13:3)