Memorial Day 2017: Don't Forget To Smile

Memorial Day, 2017. Don't forget to smile. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jocko-podcast/exclusive-content

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Jocko Willink?

  I've heard it called a death letter.

• 0:07Jocko Willink?

  But I don't know if that is the actual name.

• 0:12Jocko Willink?

  I don't know if it has an actual name.

• 0:19Jocko Willink?

  But I do know what it is.

• 0:25Jocko Willink?

  It is something that soldiers sometimes write when they deploy into harm's way.

• 0:35Jocko Willink?

  Then they put it with their gear or in a footlocker where it will be found or they give it to a friend to pass on in case they die.

• 0:52Jocko Willink?

  A letter to the family they won't see again.

• 0:59Jocko Willink?

  To mothers that gave them life, to fathers that raised them,

• 1:07Jocko Willink?

  to wives that they left at home,

• 1:14Jocko Willink?

  to children they miss and in some cases to the children

• 1:22Jocko Willink?

  they've never even met.

• 1:30Jocko Willink?

  It's a goodbye letter.

• 1:35Jocko Willink?

  With a title something like "In Case I Don't Come Home."

• 1:47Jocko Willink?

  Well, Jesse Givens of Springfield, Missouri,

• 1:55Jocko Willink?

  wrote one of those letters.

• 2:00Jocko Willink?

  He wrote it to his wife Melissa and their son Dakota,

• 2:06Jocko Willink?

  nicknamed Toad,

• 2:09Jocko Willink?

  and to their unborn son nicknamed Bean,

• 2:15Jocko Willink?

  who would ultimately be named Carson.

• 2:23Jocko Willink?

  And here is what he said in that letter.

• 2:29Jocko Willink?

  In case he didn't come home.

• 2:35Jocko Willink?

  "My family.

• 2:39Jocko Willink?

  I never thought I would be writing a letter like this. I really don't know where to start.

• 2:46Jocko Willink?

  I've been getting bad feelings though, and well, if you're reading this.

• 2:57Jocko Willink?

  I am forever in debt to you, Dakota, and the Bean.

• 3:03Jocko Willink?

  I searched all my life for a dream, and I found it in you.

• 3:10Jocko Willink?

  I would like to think that I made a positive difference in your lives.

• 3:16Jocko Willink?

  I will never be able to make up for the bad.

• 3:21Jocko Willink?

  I am so sorry.

• 3:25Jocko Willink?

  The happiest moments in my life all deal with my little family.

• 3:32Jocko Willink?

  I will always have with me the small moments we all shared.

• 3:39Jocko Willink?

  The moments when you quit taking life so seriously, and smiled.

• 3:47Jocko Willink?

  The sounds of a beautiful boy's laughter. Or the simple nudge of a baby unborn.

• 4:00Jocko Willink?

  You will never know how complete you have made me, each and every one of you. You saved me from loneliness and taught me how to think beyond myself.

• 4:14Jocko Willink?

  You taught me how to live and to love.

• 4:20Jocko Willink?

  You opened my eyes to a world I never dreamed existed.

• 4:27Jocko Willink?

  I am proud of you.

• 4:31Jocko Willink?

  Stay on the path you choose.

• 4:35Jocko Willink?

  Never lose sight of what is important: you and our babies."

• 4:45Jocko Willink?

  Dakota You are more son than I could ever ask for.

• 4:53Jocko Willink?

  I can only hope I was half the dad.

• 4:57Jocko Willink?

  I used to be your Danny, but no matter what, it makes me proud that you chose me.

• 5:05Jocko Willink?

  You taught me how to care until it hurts. You taught me how to smile again.

• 5:11Jocko Willink?

  You taught me that life isn't so serious and sometimes you have to play.

• 5:16Jocko Willink?

  You have a big, beautiful heart.

• 5:20Jocko Willink?

  Through life, you need to keep it open and follow it.

• 5:25Jocko Willink?

  Never be afraid to be yourself.

• 5:29Jocko Willink?

  I will always be there in our park when you dream, so we can still play.

• 5:38Jocko Willink?

  I hope someday, you will have a son like mine.

• 5:45Jocko Willink?

  Make them smile and shine just like you.

• 5:52Jocko Willink?

  I love you Toad, and I hope someday you will understand why I didn't come home.

• 6:01Jocko Willink?

  Please be proud of me. Please don't stop loving life.

• 6:09Jocko Willink?

  Take in every breath like it's your first.

• 6:14Jocko Willink?

  I love you Toad. I will always be there with you.

• 6:20Jocko Willink?

  I'll be in the sun, shadows, dreams, and joys of your life.

• 6:32Jocko Willink?

  Baby Bean.

• 6:36Jocko Willink?

  I never got to see you, but I know in my heart you are beautiful.

• 6:42Jocko Willink?

  I know you will be strong and big-hearted, just like your mom and brother.

• 6:49Jocko Willink?

  I will always have with me the feel of the soft nudges on your mom's belly and the joy I felt when we found out you were on your way.

• 7:02Jocko Willink?

  I dream of you every night, I always will.

• 7:07Jocko Willink?

  Don't ever think that since I wasn't around that I didn't love you.

• 7:13Jocko Willink?

  You were conceived of love and I came to this terrible place for love.

• 7:21Jocko Willink?

  I love you as I do your mom and brother with all my heart and soul.

• 7:28Jocko Willink?

  Please understand that I had to be gone so that I could take care of my family.

• 7:36Jocko Willink?

  I love you Bean.

• 7:42Jocko Willink?

  I have never been so blessed as the day I met Melissa.

• 7:47Jocko Willink?

  You are my angel, soulmate, wife, lover, and best friend.

• 7:58Jocko Willink?

  I am sorry.

• 8:01Jocko Willink?

  I did not want to have to write this letter.

• 8:06Jocko Willink?

  There is so much more I need to say, so much more I need to share, a lifetime's worth.

• 8:14Jocko Willink?

  I married you for a million lifetimes.

• 8:20Jocko Willink?

  That's how long I will be with you.

• 8:25Jocko Willink?

  Please keep our baby safe.

• 8:29Jocko Willink?

  Please find it in your heart to forgive me for leaving you alone.

• 8:36Jocko Willink?

  Take care of yourself, believe in yourself, you are a strong, big-hearted woman.

• 8:44Jocko Willink?

  Teach our babies to live life to its fullest and tell yourself to do the same.

• 8:52Jocko Willink?

  Don't forget to take Toad to Disney World.

• 8:56Jocko Willink?

  I'll be there with you.

• 9:00Jocko Willink?

  Melissa, I will always want you, need you, and love you in my heart, mind, and soul.

• 9:12Jocko Willink?

  Do me a favor. After you tuck-toed and bean in,

• 9:20Jocko Willink?

  give them hugs and kisses from me.

• 9:25Jocko Willink?

  Go outside, look at the stars, and count them.

• 9:33Jocko Willink?

  Don't forget to smile.

• 9:37Jocko Willink?

  Love always. Your husband, Jess.

• 9:50Jocko Willink?

  And Jesse

• 9:53Jocko Willink?

  didn't come home.

• 9:58Jocko Willink?

  On May 1st, 2003, Jesse Givens was killed while conducting combat operations in Habeni, Iraq, when his Abrams tank plunged into the Euphrates River

• 10:13Jocko Willink?

  after the bank along the river collapsed.

• 10:21Jocko Willink?

  The three other crew members made it out of the tank.

• 10:27Jocko Willink?

  Jesse did not.

• 10:36Jocko Willink?

  Another

• 10:39Jocko Willink?

  brave warrior

• 10:44Jocko Willink?

  gone.

• 10:49Jocko Willink?

  Like so many other warriors, he left behind a family.

• 10:58Jocko Willink?

  A wife, and children, and a mother, and father, and friends, and life.

• 11:11Jocko Willink?

  He left behind everything.

• 11:16Jocko Willink?

  Every smile, every laugh, every hug from his boys, every kiss from his wife, everything.

• 11:27Jocko Willink?

  Gone.

• 11:35Jocko Willink?

  And on this Memorial Day,

• 11:42Jocko Willink?

  let us remember.

• 11:48Jocko Willink?

  Let us remember those soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, those brave warriors who, for us,

• 12:01Jocko Willink?

  for our freedom,

• 12:05Jocko Willink?

  left everything behind.

• 12:12Jocko Willink?

  And after the sun sets on this Memorial Day,

• 12:18Jocko Willink?

  and darkness consumes the sky,

• 12:24Jocko Willink?

  go outside

• 12:28Jocko Willink?

  and look up

• 12:32Jocko Willink?

  and say "thank you" to those heroes that now grace the heavens.

• 12:45Jocko Willink?

  And then look at the stars

• 12:49Jocko Willink?

  and count them.

• 12:55Jocko Willink?

  And as much as your soul aches with sadness as you mourn your fallen family

• 13:04Jocko Willink?

  and friends

• 13:07Jocko Willink?

  and brothers in arms,

• 13:13Jocko Willink?

  don't forget that they did not sacrifice their lives for us to live in sadness.

• 13:23Jocko Willink?

  No.

• 13:26Jocko Willink?

  They sacrificed their lives so we could live in joy and happiness.

• 13:38Jocko Willink?

  So.

• 13:41Jocko Willink?

  Even on this most solemn day. Memorial Day.

• 13:50Jocko Willink?

  Don't forget.

• 13:53Jocko Willink?

  For them.

• 13:57Jocko Willink?

  To smile.