A Brother's Words; A Sister's Thoughts by Cindy Campbell

8/30/00 Hi Hi Hi Hi hi hi; Still in Okinawa, our flight has been delayed, we leave on the 2nd now. Well, the typhoon passed around us! Frank and I surfed the last three days till we were dead tired. One day the surf was so perfect, it looked like out of a magazine!! Life is good!! I actually sold two boards. I have one left, for big waves. It worked perfect for me this week. We are in limbo right now, just waiting for a ride. Just playing all day, no worries!! Have you kept to your program? Every day that passes and you are not active, it takes hours off your life, you selfish girl. You better outlive me!! How is the employment business treating you? Any more luck? Gonna go eat lunch. I am thin, like a pencil. But my hair is better than an eraser!! Love, Chris ________________________ A few months ago, I shared a very private experience with members of the Project Campbell's Call team. I've debated internally about sharing it publicly. Today seemed to be the day to do it. The ...

07/08/00 Hello non one-liner at the moment!! Yes, I would like to write anyway, because I know I would like to read mail also... hint... for the future... Had two days off, and guess what I did... ok, good guess!! I went about 1 1/2 hours South, then took a boat to a wonderful paradise here in Thailand... the Island's name is Koh Samet. Went alone and ended up being the best time I have had in quite some time. Got off the boat, tourists went one way, so I looked the other and just followed my feet... Walked about 2 hours through jungle, over cliffs, and popped upon this little spot right in a beautiful cove. The water was so blue, the sand a sugary white and lazy little trees at the waters edge. I put up my hammock and drifted off to my happy place, with the gentle waves lapping at the shore, just steps from where I napped. I awoke a few hours later and was thirsty and a little hungry!! So with no food or water, headed back to the little beach cottages. Found a tucked away little p...

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know my brother, a little bit, through his letters that I have shared up to this point. The letter today is Chris' last one to me before he graduated from Basic Training. Although he continued to send postcards and cards, most of our correspondence transitioned to email as a result of the introduction of computers and technology. I look forward to your joining me on this continued journey back in time.                           18 Jan 97 Just wrote yesterday, but had a little time on my hands. Also, I found this Brochure in our Division. If Mom & Dad haven't sent you these papers, I asked: here is an outline of Hotels & Prices that surround Great Lakes. The schedule will be that on Thurs, 30th of Jan we have a Mom & Pop night where we can have visitors for a few hours. Then the next morning you will come back & we will Pass-in-Review around 9:00 am, I think! Mom & Dad ...

Friendships come easily to children. On several occasions I have heard one child ask another, "you wanna be my friend?". It's a sweet moment for those of us who have the privilege to witness the innocence that prompts such a heartfelt question that is heard often throughout playgrounds and backyards. As we get older, it seems many reach their friendship quota. Relationships require effort to maintain connections, and understandably, as time progresses and responsibilities increase, our availability to engage with others becomes limited. There are certain people you meet though, that even if months and in some instances years pass, when you connect, it's like time stood still. You are able to "pick up right where you left off". My brother had many amazing people in his life like this. Joe, Jamie, George, Laura, Darren, John John, Randy, Dawn, and Toby are just a few really special friends who meant the world to Chris! I am sure the adventures and stories they...

Chris called our mom "Ma" - not sure why or when that became his special way of acknowledging her. To me, it's sweet, and I can still hear him saying it. He was very protective of our mom and so much of his attention to "little things" was a gift from her: singing, whistling, gardening, planting flowers, cooking and baking. It's a southern saying, I believe, and one we heard often, "you can always use a little something sweet"! Having dessert, especially after supper (aka dinner/evening meal), was a part of our lives. It was never anything fancy and might be rice pudding or a homemade cherry cream cheese pie. Treats that came by delivery of an ice cream truck were next level! If they came through your neighborhood growing up, you know that this was an extra special vehicle. Hearing the happy music long before this four wheeled delight carrying delicious desserts made its way down our street was the epitome of childhood joy.  Sundays were sacred day...

The language of music seems to transcend the limitations of mere words. As kids, church hymns were the predominant melodies throughout our house. Even though our mom tried to shield us from "secular" music, the popular songs of the day found their way to our ears. I smile thinking of some of the silly memories that come to mind as I revisit the variety of artists that I found fascinating (and still do) during my younger years. I've been surprised, as an adult, how different songs can evoke an array of emotions!  Music was an important part of my brother's life. I remember him telling me about a song he really loved, and I was a bit surprised. Both the lyrics and the melody are beautiful, haunting, and simple. By the time Chris heard the song for the first time, it had been around for a while. Its message seems to convey a sense of urgency about how quickly life passes us by, while at the same time offering a subtle invitation to fully participate in life. That's o...

You've likely heard this before, "it's the little things that matter most". When we were kids, this is one of the intangible gifts my mom gave us. She shared her observations and brought our attention to the almost imperceptible movements of life that occur in our natural world. Without realizing it, this was subtly incorporated into my own life by way of noticing the beauty around me. A chorus of birds greeting the day, the incessant activity of squirrels as they forage for their groceries, and discovering the first flower bud as the earth welcomes Spring are things that make my heart sing. Friendships have taken priority over chores, and somehow those always get done, too. One of the things I failed to make time for was visiting my brother. I thought we had plenty of time... in the future. Not too long after Chris died, I was given a pair of his boots. I remember hugging them so tight, just as I would have hugged him. I had no idea how much my brother's boots wo...