Reflections 9

Blue on Red

I was supposed to be the red ranger.

All of my life I had trained to be the red ranger. Then Cruger picks this kid off the streets with no Academy training. I was floored. I won't pretend that I liked him. Not even a little. Not even for the sake of the team. All I could see was the position I should have had being filled by a nobody.

I felt betrayed when Syd and Bridge quickly followed his lead. They never seemed to respond to my orders. They didn't respect my leadership because I didn't respect them. Jack instinctively knew how to be a leader. He spent time with the team and knew how to use them effectively. He recognized his own weaknesses and was willing to ask for help.

I soon realized it was emotions that kept me from being the red ranger. I thought my teammates were not good enough for me to follow that being the red ranger was my right, my destiny. Jack was always level headed and cool. He never once led us by his emotions; he was so thorough in his preparations and thought through all of his decisions. He would never put us at risk. He was a great leader, teammate, and most of all friend.

I never thought we would be friends. But again I realized it was all on me why we weren't friends. It was mostly my fault why we weren't close as a team. I always chose to sit away from them, to never participate in their "juvenile" activities. I discovered that they didn't care what they did, just that they were doing it together.

After I started spending more time with the others I found myself understanding him more, and the others as well. I saw the qualities that made Jack a great and natural leader. He was confident, fearless, and decisive. Most of all he was trustworthy. The others trusted him with their lives and he trusted them to be the best rangers they could be. He never doubted their abilities, though he didn't know them. He had faith that I was envious of.

I wish I hadn't been so stubborn to begin with. There's so much more I could have learned from him. I guess I have learned a lot though. Leadership is more than telling others what to do. Its showing them, leading by example. I can't expect them to do anything I'm not willing to do myself. I'm so glad Jack was here to show me how to be the leader the other rangers need me to be. Without him, we wouldn't be where we are today.

I finally got what I wanted. But I wish that Jack had never left.