My Muse: Liberty, Education, and My Generation

It burns. It feels like its crushing all of your organs. Your heart is almost cramping and your lungs feel like they are being scraped from the inside. You keep going. Your brain starts pounding, your vision is blurred and then your arms cramp. You keep going. Your entire body is shaking, your vision turns from a hazy white to black, your body goes limp and you sink.

Not thirty seconds later, your face is being slapped as instructors revive you. You wake up and spew water.

"I'm good cadre! Im good sir. Let me back in."

"No Earle. You stand your --- up and come with me."

You stand, trying not to show the pain and fatigue. 

You have gone 20 hours without sleep. Each night's sleep is about 3 hours long. Your body doesn't know whats going on but your mind is fully aware. And because your mind controls your body, you keep pushing.

The cadre takes some basic medical measurements and clears you to get back into the black, hellish pool. 

You jump in feet first and are swallowed by thousands of gallons of water.

"Ropes! Now!"

You stuff two footlong pieces of rope into your speedo and begin treading water, praying your hamstrings don't cramp up. 

After the whistle blows, you dive twelve feet under and retrieve your booties, mask, and weight belt. You stay calm as you attach each item to your bruised body. You blow small bubbles, pushing off the desire to release all of your air and jump to the surface. 

You pull out the rope and begin to tie your knots to the bottom of the pool. Your lungs and heart are screaming at you to return to the surface.

Finally, the knots finished you can return to the surface. You do so as quickly as possible. Sadly, one of your friends is shivering along the pool deck to grab the air horn.

*Blast Blast Blast* -- I quit! I quit! I quit!

You are shaken. Your mind starts to think of how nice it would be to quit and promptly return home to your wife and child. You shake your head, close your eyes and focus on breathing. Visions of dragging a bloodied american pilot to safety start to play against your closed eyelids.

"I know why I'm here. I will succeed."