Marlow's Musings 3/2/25
Insights, adventures and fun stuff from this week.
Audio narration by David Marlow
I could barely move. Every joint in my body was stiff. My armpits and behind my knees were swollen like softballs had been stuffed under my skin.
The Drill Instructors raced into the Squad Bay and, as usual, began yelling. We had thirty seconds to change out of our camouflaged utilities and into physical training (PT) gear and get on the road for a six-mile run.
There was no time to explain I was ‘sick’ and even less to tell them I couldn’t possibly run. Sick Bay was for non-hackers, but falling out (failing) a run was even worse. If you failed a run, you might get sent back in training two weeks to get your fitness level up to standards.
Neither option was positive. I had only seconds to figure out what to do. Driven as much by the forward motion of my ninety-five fellow Marine Recruits, I made my way to the hatch when it happened.
“Marlow and McCully,” shouted one of the junior DIs. “Get out of your PT Gear and report to the Duty Hut on the first floor.”
There was no questioning why McCully and I were being pulled out of PT. I took one look at McCully and could tell he was sick too.
“I had no idea how I was going to make that run,” he whispered to me as we got back into our uniforms.
Because Marlow and McCully are close alphabetically, the two of us stood side-by-side in line wherever we went. We were both from Indiana, both older than most of the other recruits, and both married. As such, we became fast friends.
We had no idea what awaited us, but the relief we felt not having to do the run overcame any fear.
Banging on the hatch of the Duty Hut I shouted, “Recruits Marlow and McCully reporting as ordered, sir.”
“Enter,” the Captain seated behind the desk motioned for us to come in. We entered and remained at attention.
“At ease, have a seat. Because of your test scores and performance thus far in Boot Camp, you’ve both been selected for Presidential Duty at Marine Barracks, Washington.”
Those are the Marines you see on TV standing at attention next to Marine One and at the White House or Camp David.
What followed next was a series of interviews that lasted for more than the entire time the rest of the platoon was out running.
As it turned out, neither of us was eligible because you have to be single to serve on the Presidential Guard.
I was relieved because the decision to accept the post would have meant turning down my current MOS (job) and the enlistment bonus that came with it. I needed the money, but it would have been hard to say no to guarding the president.
The weird thing is that it was clearly marked in our records that both McCully and I had dependents as the Marine Corps refers to spouses. As clear as our test scores and other qualifiers.
We returned to the Squad Bay and rested on our bunks until we heard the shouting coming up the stairwell. Platoon 2066 was back.
Had I dropped during the run, it is quite possible I would have lost my enlistment bonus because the contracts require certain dates and availability. Missing that window by being sent back two weeks would mean someone else would likely get that job, and then the Marine Corps would assign me to whatever they needed at the time.
The interview saved both of us. The next day we felt better and continued on with training as if we had never been sick. I went on to be meritoriously promoted for my performance in boot camp and ultimately assigned to technical training that launched my post-military career. Oh, did I mention I was assigned to Hawaii for duty?
All because I was pulled out of the run at the last second to interview for a job I wasn’t eligible for.
It turns out I’m allergic to the typhoid vaccine. At each phase of training and transfer they conduct a medical recall where they check to make sure you are up to date on everything including shots.
For some reason my typhoid inoculation never got documented so over the course of my career I had to get it again, with the same results…three more times. The docs never updated the record.
They wanted to jab me a fourth time and by then I let the doctor know in no uncertain terms, I’d had plenty of typhoid vaccine. He was about to insist I needed it again when I walked out of the exam room. I think he was too stunned to do anything about it.
Word of the Week
Favor (n.)
/ˈfeɪvər/
1: An act of special kindness or benevolence bestowed
2: A state of being singled out for a unique blessing or advantage
From Latin favor (goodwill, kindness), this word captures those moments when life seems to conspire in your direction. It's not just luck. It's something more deliberate, more personal.
Favor operates in the space between what we control and what we don't. We prepare, we position ourselves correctly, we do the work. And then something shifts. A door opens that we didn't even know existed. An opportunity presents itself at precisely the right moment.
Consider how favor differs from mere coincidence. Coincidence is random; favor feels intentional. Coincidence happens to anyone; favor feels specifically directed. This distinction matters because it shapes how we respond to unexpected good fortune.
In our pursuit of Ikigai, favor becomes a curious companion. When we align with our true essence and purpose, favor seems to appear more frequently. Not because we've manipulated circumstances, but because we are operating in harmony with our design. It's as though something greater recognizes authentic alignment and responds accordingly.
Living under favor transforms our approach to life. We look for the hidden doors, the unexpected allies, the resources that will appear just when needed.
When we recognize favor in our lives, we don't just experience individual moments of blessing—we develop a fundamentally different way of navigating our purpose, expecting good things not because we deserve them, but because we're aligned with who we're meant to be.
In case you missed it…
This week’s Ikigai Thoughts for Today…
The first was In the Midst of…
This has been in my thought library for many years. If you need inspiration and encouragement, I hope it speaks to you today. If you don’t need it today, I hope you’ll save this for a time when you do.
The second was Impossible
The impossible takes a little longer…The story of Roger Bannister breaking the barrier of the 4-minute mile is one of my favorites. Not because it is a running achievement though it certainly was one. More for what it shows us about achieving our dreams.
Ikiquest+
This week’s Coffee Contemplation…Bright and Worthy and Good
I'm getting a sense that a lot of people are struggling. This week I explore a powerful truth to encourage you to carry on.
There is only one of us in all of time and creation. And this unique expression, the person that is you in this form, will never exist again in all of time and space.
Ikiquest+ subscribers can listen to it in audio narration or read the transcription.
If you aren’t yet an Ikiquest+ Subscriber, give it a try for free by clicking the box here.
Interesting Thing I Saw This Week
The image on the coffee mug is the Uzumaki Swirl which represents our path to Ikigai. I had it created especially for my book. I put it on this coffee mug to use in an article which I wrote to promote
the book.
Like many things in living our Ikigai, the path becomes clear only after we start walking. I was playing with this image and almost no one read my article. They all wanted to know about the coffee mug and how to get one. Well, the coffee mug existed only in my mind. The response has sparked an idea and I'll be sharing more about that in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, it is as I said, an example of trying and experimenting to uncover our Ikigai. Sometimes the path reveals itself in unexpected ways—through the questions others ask rather than the answers we thought were important. The spiral reminds us that the journey isn't linear but rather unfolds gradually, each turn revealing something new and more refined about ourselves and our purpose.
Cheers!
Comment of the Week:
This one from David F. was in response to the Pun Fun we’ve been having…
I want to congratulate you on the voice you have created on Notes. Very you, very distinctive, very friendly and warm, and filled with the most delightful puns. It’s fun having you around. I don’t read many posts, but I make a point of trying to catch yours. You are teaching me a lot about how to write online by being oneself.
This speaks to the Ikigai Moai or family we have created here in Ikiquest and by extension the fun conversations in Notes. Many people have told me it brightens their day and they look forward to the pun each morning. You can check out the Notes Section for yourself.
Quote I’m Pondering
This thought is from Ross Douthat in his book, ‘Believe’1…
"When intellectuals stopped taking mystical experiences seriously, actual human beings kept on having the experiences. When Official Knowledge ruled out the supernatural, in ordinary life it kept breaking in.”
Final Thoughts
When my middle son was young he would remove his shoes after getting home from school and they would land in the same spot each time. Right in the walking path between the entry and the kitchen. I barked at him more than once for this and yet to this day when he comes over even as an adult…the same spot.
His son, my first grandchild turns 10 this week. His arrival marked a distinct line, a demarcation of life before and since. I’m lucky that he visits frequently and when he comes in the first thing he does is remove his shoes and toss them in that exact same spot.
He is so much like his dad. The shoes are fine right there.
Quest Well.
Douthat, Ross. "Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious." New York: Penguin Press, 2025.
love the story about the shoes...sometimes the annoying is just the thing you love the most.
What an awesome story David. I do believe that your guardian angels must’ve tapped on the shoulder of your jr. Drill Instructor, whispered in his ear that you’d be super presidential guards. Your journey in the Marines is and was important, and nothing as irrelevant as a typhoid shot would be allowed to roadblock your path.
I also melted into a bit of a puddle at the image of your grandson’s shoes in the middle of the way. Both my daughters have a habit of setting their things down on every surface in the house when they visit, and I miss it now that they don’t live with me any more.