April 30, 2021 by Jermaine E. Martin
One of the most fascinating things about life is that we never know how a seemingly, random experience will change us for the rest of our lives -How a single event can awaken us to our passion and purpose!
For me, that event happened over thirty-five years ago. It was the day and first time I got to watch my stepfather return from overseas after a long tour of duty aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon in Norfolk, Virginia. I was 12 years old at the time. My parents were newly married and my stepdad was serving in the U.S. Navy. After a six month tour of duty out at sea, my stepdad was scheduled to return to port at the U.S. Naval base in Norfolk, Virginia.
My mom, uncle, and I drove almost four hours to Norfolk from D.C. to watch my stepdad’s aircraft carrier dock from its long journey. Standing near the massive pier with other military families, we cheered as the massive aircraft carrier slowly approached the eagerly awaiting crowd. With my eyes locked on the ship, one of the first things I noticed was the continuous line of sailors and marines standing at attention, side-by-side along the top deck of the carrier. It was as if they were guardians of this great symbol of American power.
“This is when I realized what it means and feels like to love your country.”
As the ship got closer and closer to the dock, I began to see the brave facial expressions of the sailors and marines as they stood at attention with their arms crossed behind their backs. Their uniforms blew rapidly in the wind as their bodies remained fixed to the perimeter of the top deck. Even though I was just a twelve-year-old kid, I became overwhelmed with emotion. My chest tightened, and I felt a sense of fullness in my soul. Glancing over at my uncle, it was obvious that he was full of emotions too, as I couldn’t help but notice the tears streaming down his face. Even though this was supposed to be a day of happiness and celebration, I knew why my uncle cried. The sight of men serving something greater than themselves is a reason to cry. This is when I realized what it means and feels like to love and honor your country.
Looking back on that divine day, there’s not a shadow of doubt in my mind that this was the moment that the seeds for my passion and purpose were planted. This was my calling. A calling to find a way to share that awakening experience of patriotism and love for our country that I was blessed to experience on that day.
Passion and love for my country have remained close to my heart ever since that weekend trip down to Norfolk, Virginia. Years have passed, but the emotions and passion remains. I often ask myself, “If what I saw that weekend was able to make such a positive impact on me and how I respect and honor my country today, would a similar experience have a similar positive effect on others?” Before seeing that ship and those brave American sailors and marines returning home on that sunny weekend, I had no concept of patriotism, sacrifice, and duty. I was just a kid from a low income housing project in Washington, D.C. with no actual sense or understanding of America’s greatness and how blessed we are to be born here.
It made a huge impression on me to see with my own eyes the men and women who hold the line to protect what we have and cherish as Americans and to see the sacrifice on the part of the families they leave behind. All of it would cause me to dream of one day finding a way to capture and share the same experience and awakening that I did in Norfolk, Virginia those many years ago. Appreciating and loving your country is empowering as well as unifying. There is no denying how great it feels when we are united as a country.
Jermaine E. Martin is an empowerment leader, speaker and author of “American Mindset: Unstuck & Unstoppable” (Available on Amazon),.