The Perils of Ego Lifting: A Soldier’s Journey from the Battlefield to the Gym
Chapter 1: The Return Home John Mitchell stood in front of his Birmingham home, a place he'd dreamt of for three relentless years while serving with the British Army’s Parachute Regiment . As he reached for the door, his hand trembled—not from physical exhaustion, but from the heavy burden of memories he carried. Before he could knock, the door swung open. Emily, his wife, stood there, her eyes brimming with relief and love, her arms reaching for him like a lifeline. “Welcome home, John,” she whispered, her voice quivering with emotion. John's embrace lacked its former warmth, the war having stripped him of the man he once was. His eyes drifted past Emily to their daughters, Emma and Grace, peeking shyly from behind her legs. They had grown, their faces more mature, a painful reminder of all the moments he had missed. “Hey, girls,” he said, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Emma was the first to rush into his arms, with Grace following more hesitantly. John knelt to t...