In the summer of 1984, at the age of 14, Chaplain Jay befriended a homeless man named "Pete" who lived on a park bench in his hometown in Long Island NY. He and Pete would go on to have a friendship only found on the silver screen. Pete would share his stories of Vietnam, which was later confirmed when Pete asked Chaplain Jay to his parent's home for a Thanksgiving dinner, they sat and shared stories; Pete's parents would cut in with stories about when Pete was young and the promise that he held.
One night after Chaplain Jay had returned from boot camp he found Pete on a warm fall night sleeping on his bench. They both sat together now Two Marines; one active and the other tortured by his past experiences in the jungles of Vietnam. As the two sat on the bench Pete noticed a very large beautiful moon in the sky. Very seriously and with intent Pete looked into the young Marine's eyes and said "Look at the moon Marine" Looking at the moon they sat in silence for what felt like an eternity. Then the raspy voice of Pete said "Wherever you go, no matter where in the world they send you! Don't you EVER leave your lion on the moon" As he stood Chaplain Jay could hear him mumble as he always did when they parted, but this was different, this time he just kept repeating "Never leave your lion on the moon"
Not too far after that the young Marine would find himself serving in combat operations Panama, The First Gulf War, Humanitarian Operations in Bangladesh, and a combination of Humanitarian and Combat Operations in Somalia 93 then returning in 94. All the while remembering Pete's words, never really knowing what they meant. Until one night at his apartment in San Diego, California in the mid 90's a Somali was standing in his living room and his ceiling became the African Sky. The young Marine turned Veteran was introduced to what would later be diagnosed as cPTSD or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A curse given to warriors with too big a heart and love for their fellow man, the horrors witnessed throughout Somalia are only those discussed by men who have also been there and bore witness to the true hell that exists on Earth.
It was then that Chaplain Jay finally understood what Pete was trying to explain to him; Courage, Pete left his courage in Vietnam and he asked Jay to never lose his courage no matter what. So that next day Jay made his way to the Vet Center in Vista California and he embarked on a journey that would see him through a BA and Masters Degree along with a successful career in education as a Special Education Teacher and Literacy Teacher before retiring as a school administrator and being born again into his Christian faith.
What happened to Pete? On a return trip to Long Island some years later, Jay went and found Pete's parent's home. He approached the door and Pete's dad answered with a big smile saying "Jay how have you been" With that began a conversation where Jay would learn that Pete's very sweet mom had passed away some years back. She left Pete with a little life insurance policy, then his Father said "Wouldn't you know it, like a switch, Pete quit drinking and moved back in with me. He found himself a small gas station in upstate NY that had an apartment above the station. He bought that station and he has been running and living in the apartment for a few years now" As Jay began to depart he stood and faced Pete's Dad embraced him in a hug that he knew was to be their last and said "You tell Pete I am happy he found his Lion"
Pete's lesson about courage to Jay helped him when fights with his demons of past experiences with the true evil that exists in this world would arise. When the devil would visit him tempting with an "Easy way out" he would turn to Jesus and Jesus alone for his guidance and strength knowing all the while that Jesus the King is his Lion that follows him wherever he roams. "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me" ~ Psalm 23:4 a common prayer he would repeat on patrol in his head.
