A conversation with the damned

I was finishing my daily ration and getting ready to settle in for a bug-infested night’s rest when he started talking. [Image](https://) Greetings Everyday Spy, I was sitting with a native guerrilla warrior after a couple of days hacking through thick wilderness. I was in my early 30s, and my native partner was only a few years older than me. But he looked, spoke, and carried himself like a man much closer to death than I was. We were not friends; at best we were distant peers working toward a common goal. It's not uncommon in paramilitary ops for indigenous forces to keep a cold, professional attitude toward CIA partners. But by the time we start operating together in the field, relationships have usually gotten warmer. That was not the case this day. I was finishing my daily ration and getting ready to settle in for a bug-infested night’s rest when he started talking. He told me he was the youngest of three sons born to an honorable father in their tribe. The father was a brave hunter in his youth, and had faced down a pack of hungry wild dogs to defend a kill. The older two sons had both died at the hands of the current regime, and my native partner was the only son left. His father was still alive, but had watched his lineage fade away as both older sons died. To my native peer, he felt his death was certain – if not on this mission, then on the next. But he didn’t fear death. He was sad because he knew his death would shame his father who would be forced to watch his three sons die without being able to protect them. He said to me, “violence is a young man’s game… and you spend your later years trying to find peace with the cruelty that kept you alive when you were young.” I had met his father, a grizzled old tribesman. When I met the son, I remember doubting that he would make it through first contact with the enemy. I learned later that I was wrong about the son… and now we were here, on a hot night, hoping to turn the tide in favor of a new and better chance for their people. Our mission the next day was a total disappointment – the target we had been tracking was nowhere to be seen. Whether the intel was bad or the target was tipped off, we will never know. But the son lived through that mission and the next. In fact, I watched him climb the ranks in his native force to a place higher than his ‘tribal station’ would allow. And a few months later, I watched him bury his father in the ground – a man immensely proud to see his only remaining son bring honor to the family. I still cannot call that native warrior my friend… but I can call him an example of what field officers call ‘blind talent.’ His mind was so bogged down with distractions like honor, justice, and anger that he was blind to his own incredible talents. Talents that were so powerful, he became an exception to his own tribal structure! I don’t know where he is today – he is one of the many souls damned to live a lesser version of the life he deserves. Not because of his skills, abilities, or even his situation. But because he chooses to pity his past instead of embracing it as the key to his greatness. Whatever pain, disappointment, and frustration you come from shaped you into a sharper edge than you realize. But you have to learn how to wield the blade to shape your own legacy… Godspeed, #EverydaySpy P.S. - Elite operators – whether US trained or jungle-forged – overcome impossible odds, stress, and fear in the field. [You can get the same skills today in your personal Deep Cover Platform.]( Follow @EverydaySpy on Social Media! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Andrew Bustamante, Founder of EverydaySpy.com, is a former covert CIA Intelligence officer, decorated US Air Force Combat Veteran, and respected Fortune 500 senior advisor. Learn more from Andrew on his Podcast (The Everyday Espionage Podcast) and by following @EverydaySpy on your favorite social media platform. This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Don't want to receive these emails anymore? [Unsubscribe]( EverydaySpy, 411 Walnut St. #20309, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043