Then Everything Changed...My Week with Warriors at Save A Warrior Cohort 005

My business partner Willis Daniels is a force of nature and one of the smartest and most enthusiastic people I have ever met, he may be wrong but he’s rarely in doubt.

When Willis came to me and said “We gotta do this Warrior Camp thingy," I was immediately on board. I thought if we could design something that actually helps that opportunity would be awesome.  The village was about camaraderie and being part of a unit.  Our designs were fleshed out and used in presentations given by Captain Jake Clark.  Following these initial efforts I would hear little snippets about how the rock ceremonies were so moving, or how the project was changing peoples’ lives.  I was never witness to the effects and power of the project.

Willis had thrown out the idea that I should go through the project.  I would understand what the needs of the warriors were and what they would be experiencing.  At first I was incredibly intimidated by this prospect.  How would I ever relate to a group of warriors?  The prospect lingered in my head as if my inner self was banging on me as if to say “this could really help more warriors and YOU!!!” My wife got involved and reminded me of how I could help and this was a chance to help others. So, I contacted Jake late one night about my attendance in the project.  He went over my reason for doing the program more explicitly than I could explain it myself.  He said

Original Rendering of Save A Warrior Camp

with a better understanding of what these guys are going through I could design something even more fantastic than the first go around and I would even learn how to meditate.

When the week approached, I found myself doing the usual self-destructive patterns I always do.   I tried to button up work (yeah right) I barely packed, and of course I left late just to make sure I missed something.  My mind was expressing itself this way because I was downright nervous.  I knew I had to open myself for the experience and there might be some emotions involved, I hate those things.

Then everything changed.

Eddie's Mandalas

The week was the most intense soul changing experience I could have ever imagined.  Everyday I faced another fear or weakness in myself and confronted it head-on.  Suzi Landolphi instantly recognized and gave me the tools to deal with my relationships.  Rosemary Alden showed me that the path to myself was right in front of me all along I just had to listen to myself and trust myself.  At the ropes course Philip and Michael got the big dig in, I finally dealt with the early passing of my father and finding the happiness of the memories of my childhood and being able to pass those happy times onto my children.  This part of the process still makes me tear up and realize how much I miss him and those happy days.  At the end of the climbing day, I was spent.  I thought I had reached my emotional fulfillment.  I had emptied that bucket of all the emotional hardship that had been clouding my soul and my judgment.  Then…I had a talk with Dusty.  We had a long talk on the way back to the camp.  I admired his enthusiasm for life and his force of joy.  There was skeptical parts of me inside still saying “No way can this guy be this excited and enthused about life its gotta be fake” but the exposed part of myself said “This guy is so awesome; I want to get what he’s got. I want to be that “AMAZING” guy.”  He told me 100 different ways about how happiness is a choice so why not chose to be happy.  I finally believed him after the first 99 times of disbelief. Really ??!!it can not be that easy NO WAY.  I made a deal with Dusty.  I would start out the next day and “Choose to be Happy.”

I started out the third day honoring my deal, (one that I have kept ever since) and headed out to Big Heart Ranch.  I took in lessons about inter-dependence and co-dependence from the animals.  I learned that you can’t bullshit horses.

I am deathly afraid of horses, but my fear did not seem to matter anymore.  I released all my trivial facades about myself and just let myself be myself.  Next thing I knew I was riding around on a giant horse.  Fellow cohorts already noticed that I had been transformed.  According to Magic Steve I was floating around with a smile plastered to my face.  That night on a rock climbing adventure on the side of the cliff Steve Howell noticed the kid in me trying to get out.  He said,  “Come on Let’s Go Find that Kid Inside.”  The climbing that night was the first time in the longest time that I just felt plain and simple joy.  The feeling was so clear and pure.

The most amazing part of my journey was connecting with the men in the cohort.  They welcomed me in from the beginning.  I was not an observer, but a participant.  They were going to share my path and I am sharing theirs.  Everything from the fabulous rat stories from John to the tender underside of men who are trying to keep their lives and marriages together made everyone in the cohort a brother.  I have never bonded with anyone this way before.  The strength of that bond will endure a long time. 

21 Days from the beginning of meditation.

I am evolving into who I am and who I want to be and the journey is “Amazing.”  I have decided to stop being a bystander in my own life.  I have taken up Taekwondo with my kids and I have been swimming with them as well.  I have reset boundaries on relationships so that I no longer get hurt. My wife and kids have embraced the new me, the one that comes from a place of understanding and strength and not fear and frustration.  I communicate with emotion in email and in person.  I am becoming a really cool guy to be around.  Everyday I wake up and I chose to be happy.  Thank you everyone for making the choice so easy to make.

- eddie

Eddie Osuch is helping design Save A Warrior Camp

Eddie Osuch is helping design Save A Warrior Camp

This week with Save A Warrior clearly had an incredible impact on Eddie...He is going to help 'Save A Warrior' by building a retreat for them.  What are you doing?  DONATE TODAY!