I had a hard time sleeping after learning about the loss of my long time friend Michael Irving Field. We met entirely by chance after he inadvertently took my field jacket and the only one left in the dayroom had the name of Field on it. It was time for lights out so I had no choice but to take it and hope the next morning that guy had my jacket. Sure enough, he did and that sparked our friendship and we bonded it through basic training, AIT, Jump school, Ranger transition phase, and finally the 1st Ranger battalion. We had a lot of fun together and I learned during that period of the love of his life...Marlene. Just look at their wedding picture if you want to see what love and happiness looks like. Through the years I have kept in contact even though we hadn't seen each other often. I have been amazed at all he things he had accomplished and his absolute love of his family. I can't get Tim McGraw's song "live like you were dying" out of my mind as I believe it captures the essence of how Mike lived his entire life, not just the past 6 years. One of his last texts to me in early February was "I'm in Denver till Thursday and then I'm headed to Curacao for a week of scuba diving, Ya gotta love retirement." Marlene, Lorie, Diane and family, I know you are hurting but please take comfort in your memories and remember that "there is no life greater than a life filled with both love and adventure" and Mike really lived.
