On Leave

Well, I am back to where it all started. My life as a human being, as a man, as a Soldier, and of course as a Freemason. It feels good to be back home. I had a lot of plans for this tour of Flushing, Michigan but it appears a lot of those plans have fallen through. Certain people no longer want to talk to me, certain people do not know how to contact me. Things like that. I guess that is all just a part of the life. I have been doing this for 7 years now and this tour of leave has been by far the loneliness block leave of my time. For the most part I sat at home with my grandparents. Other than that things should be good here. My cousin Josh is going be raised this week coming up on the 25th in Flushing Lodge 223. I am excited about that and one of the reasons why I chose to come back to Michigan.

I recently started talking to an old girlfriend from High School and I think things are beginning to rekindle there. Things are looking up as I am getting ready to embark on a journey that many veterans have traveled before. The journey to the "real world". I am starting the process to get out of the Army, I have one more deployment to go and when I come back from this deployment I will be coming home to Michigan for good.

Ok... So I said back to Michigan for good... That isn't necessarily true. I am actually planning on attending University of Michigan to finish my degree in Criminal Justice. From there we will see where I settle down, the truth is I have my heart set on Nashville, Tennessee. There are many reasons why:

1.) its warmer than in Michigan.
2.) a Friend that has always been there for me is there with her husband
3.) Its warmer than in Michigan.
4.) The Police Department is a great department
5.) Home of Country Music
6.) Not too far from Memphis, home of the Blues.


Did I mention it is warmer than it is in Michigan? On a serious note Nashville has been a great place every time I have been through the area I absolutely love it. It is definitely a place to set my goals on and maybe eventually I will settle down there. I am hoping what ever I do this old high school flame decides to go along with it. If she doesn't I understand. If there are any brethren who read this blog and will be in the Nashville area please contact me. Any police officers in the area please contact me so I can get a better idea of what I need to do in order to become a police officer in the outstanding city of Nashville...

On another note. I am going to be deployed here soon. I will be taking a notebook with me to help write my blog entries. If you notice that I may post 6 articles in one day but for the next couple weeks I haven't posted anything that is because I am deployed and haven't had the opportunity to post things but every now and then.  I am currently reading Albert Pike's "Morals and Dogmas" and will reach out to all my brethren about the book and post what I got out of it.  I will also begin the Scottish Rite path in the beginning of April. I am extremely excited and ready to move my quest further within the light.

Until we meet again,
Bro. A. Gardner
Master Mason
Triangle Lodge No 548
Lawton, Oklahoma