This was an email that I sent to my brothers in Carterico earlier this week. There was a negative email that went out about the group and needed to be countered quickly with a positive. I am not sure it can get anymore positive than this. They encouraged me to post the email so others can see and especially the guys in Carpex. Even though they know what they did and they are not looking for praise or slaps on the back. They deserve it..
I want to share this experience because to me this speaks to what F3 is about, and the kind of men that are involved in it around the country. As most of you know I had a tough weekend this weekend. My 23 year old nephew died on Thursday and I was in Cary with my brother and rest of the family. My brother Dana F3 Name Chinese Downhill has been posting with them maybe about 5 weeks? His first posts was with us at Rotary Park just a few weeks back. He had so much fun with us that he decided to give it a try in Cary. The guys were great and he has been “all in” and going about 3-4 times a week. But still relatively new to the group.
When I got up there Friday I told him I was going to go the their COT at the Saturday WO just to inform them what was going on and pray with them. He convinced me to go the whole workout Saturday morning. I went and as soon as I got out of the car the guys figured out who I was and started lifting me up. I struggled through the workout on little sleep and felt emotionally beaten. They knew it and continued to encourage me during the workout. When we got to the COT the guys made sure they had all the details on the funeral and visitation and put me in the middle of the COT and put their hands on me and prayed. It was a special time with guys I had never even met before.
Sunday at the visitation I figured maybe a handful of the F3 Cary guys would show up. He had gotten to know a few of them well and played golf with one and been to the lake with another. About halfway through the visitation a group of 25 men roll up in there and there was no mistaking who it was. My brother and I were both overwhelmed. Of course they skipped the receiving line and just came on in. Dana and I broke out of the line and went to greet them. I didn’t know what to say to them but there really wasn’t anything that needed to be said on my part. They said they would be there for him with whatever he needed. They hoped Dana would be out as soon as he felt ready and they would be there for him.
They left the visitation area and I figured they probably went on back home. It was really cool of them even to just come to visitation I thought. When it was time to go to the service we followed the Pastor through the maze of the church with the rest of the family to the back of the sanctuary. Up against the back doors in the lobby there is a row of men standing shoulder to shoulder. Was that the ushers of the church someone asked. Nope, that is F3 men here for my brother. More tears of course. After the family was seated I am not sure if they joined the other guests or what they did. But when we came back out an hour later they were still there shoulder to shoulder against the back doors. No words were said but when I looked at them I heard “nothing else bad is going to happen to you today we are here and we have your back”
What kind of men do that? They don’t even know my brother that well yet. There is a lot of other things they could have been doing on their day off work. A day normally spent with family’s and relaxing.
They are men who have made a commitment to each other as a group. To get better together through all walks of life. The little time my brother has been posting with them, they saw that he was all in and had made the commitment to them. And that was all they really needed. They put themselves last. They were in that church over 2 hours when all was said and done. Hot and uncomfortable. Its not always going to be easy and fun and what we want to do. There will be language used in our group everyone may not agree with, different politics and opinions. People will get pissed off with each other. But, for me I have a commitment to you men in Carterico. There is nothing you can do that will make me not want to help you get better as a man. Spiritually, mentally, or physically.
You men are like the guys in Cary I experienced. I have your back and I know you have mine. Your words of encouragement, prayers, texts and emails have gotten me through this this weekend.
I love you guys,
Gilligan
