Legacy

(Banged out at 5:27PM EDT, 15 August)

Some people wanna be rich or famous, loved, or just happy where they are in life. Me? I just want to leave a legacy, no matter how fleeting, after I'm gone.

I know friends, family, and loved ones will have that for me - there's no doubt in my mind. I just know I could do better than I have so far at leaving something meaningful behind - aside from general worldwide hate & discontent, that is.

In my line of work, let's face it: when I'm doing my job well, at the pinnacle of my profession, in a way that everyone in my tribe strives for... people want to kill me. And there's a fair chance of it happening whether or not you find yourself in that exact situation. Hell, half the time, just getting to that point, you're subjected to a lot of risk. In this world, risk can kill you as surely as a bullet aimed at your head.

I guess that's why I'm aware that I could go away forever at any moment. And knowing this as well as I do now - having had several friends who have done so suddenly - it's probably not viewed by the general populace as a healthy thing to listen to the same song (which deals directly with mortality) on repeat for eight hours at a stretch.

But this one got to me somehow. Normally, I'm not the guy to hop on board whatever band is popular, or even attempt to keep current with music nowadays. But the song I've been listening to all day... I don't know what bad place the songwriter was in mentally when he scribbled it down, but I can relate - at least to some degree.

These lyrics, they could be a conversation I want to have with one particular woman who means a lot to me. I kind of doubt that conversation can ever happen... but I don't think I'll ever wind up closing that door.

And in a broader sense, these words represent a lot of feelings I have towards the Marines I've served with from day one - every single one.

I'm not sure what else I can say, but sometimes you get an earworm for a reason.


I dreamed I was missing
You were so scared
But no one would listen
Cause no one else cared

After my dreaming
I woke with this fear
What am I leaving
When I'm done here

So if you're asking me
I want you to know

When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed

And don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest

Don't be afraid
I've taken my beating
I've shared what I made

I'm strong on the surface
Not all the way through
I've never been perfect
But neither have you

So if you're asking me
I want you to know

When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed

Don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest

Forgetting
All the hurt inside
You've learned to hide so well

Pretending
Someone else can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are

When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed

Don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest

Forgetting
All the hurt inside
You've learned to hide so well

Pretending
Someone else can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are
I can't be who you are