Your Friend is Thine Enemy

Tweet

If I remember correctly, there was a science fiction movie entitled, "Enemy Mine." This was the story about a human and an alien and both races were battling one another. One human and one alien came into contact with one another and had to do what was necessary to keep the other alive. In the end, I think I remember, the alien ended up dying. Well, this is sort of the subject of my discussion. Back in high school, early on in my freshman year, I decided I wanted to join the Air Force Junior ROTC program. I wanted to be a part of an elite high school outfit that was known throughout as one of the best in the region. I was welcomed as a new cadet with practically open arms. My first year was pretty good and learned a great deal. Then my sophomore year started and not long into it, a new kid moved into the neighborhood from somewhere up north and he joined the ROTC program. We quickly became friends and we helped each other out a great deal. As time went on, things began to change. This friend of mine became my enemy. I could not understand why. Clicks began to form in the ROTC group and I became an "outcast." Unfortunately, the only reason for this was my religion. I found out that my friend's family had an "interesting" past. His grandfather was a German and he served in the German military during the Second World War. Supposedly, he was the head of a death camp or something like that. My "friend's" parent's made it known to him that the friendship was going to have to end because of our differences. You see, I was a Jew from birth and it appeared that my friend's family did not want him to have anything to do with me. Things began to get real ugly. Well, graduation came and we all went our separate ways. Nearly 20 years later, I found that my "old friend" was an F-16 pilot in the Air Force and I was, and still am working as a paralegal in the civilian world. My life was quickly changing as were my religious beliefs. I became a Christian in 2003 and not long after doing so, I sent an email to my "old friend" and said that I forgave him for his attacks on me and my family. I forgave him for the way I was treated the last three years of high school because of his parent's belief's. Has anyone had an experience like this?