Lethargy

I really appreciate all the prayer and support over the last three months, it has made such a difference. I continue to be healthy. My tooth-that-needs-a-root-canal has been a non-issue. The FaBQ has provided a necessary escape from the ‘office.’ The ‘projects’ that I have undertaken to address specific requirements have been successful. I have been able to delegate some of my work-load to others, making my own ‘load’ more manageable. I have found a way to start my day with two devotionals. I have been showered with care through moto-mails, packages, and letters (most recently by Jim & Dana and my brother Greg). The snacks, believe it or not, directly impact how much of my work gets done, as the trip to the DFAC takes about 45 minutes out of my day, minutes which I save by eating healthy and tasteful snacks at my desk.

I am struggling, however, with lethargy. You’ve heard, I’m sure, of the “Fight or Flight” responses to immediate crisis/stress. Well, this deployment is a long term ongoing crisis/stress in my life, and my tendency in these situations is to disengage and withdraw. I’ve found the best way to do that is sleep. I’ve recently begun ‘trading’ the time between 0600 and 0800 in the morning, supposedly spent doing PT, with sleep. I’ve also entered the “doldrums” phase of the deployment, where the wind has gone out of my sails, the monotony seems unending, and the apparent futility of current meaningless activity to somehow improve the situation begins to create depression. Hopefully this phase will quickly pass, but regardless, I require discipline and focus to daily fulfill the trust of those who’ve seen fit to assign me crucial responsibilities (at considerable cost to others and at significant remuneration to myself).

Semper Fi, Jon G.