I'm not good military material: don't care for violence, hierarchies, dressing alike, guns, or having a boss.
But hearing the stories of war yesterday on NPR stirred me, as it was supposed to. I thought about soldiers much of the day.
One of the things that struck me is how many of them think back to their wartimes as both the best and worst parts of their lives. The good part, it seems, was the intensity--the life-or-death seriousness--and the bonds with comrades, the willingness to risk literally taking a bullet for another.
Being whole-heartedly a part of something huge feels good to people. Acting with courage feels good, even on the home front, when it may seem that the stakes are smaller.
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17 comments:
Peggy, thank God there are people who do fit into that mold. Like you, I am clearly not cut out for military service but I admire individuals who are. They stand boldly for something that they believe in. That is something to be proud of.
I've always wondered, Debbie, what happened with guys who were drafted but who were, like me, not total pacifists, but close. I do know that my father was on transport (rather than shooting) ships in the South Pacific in WWII. And out of sight of any superior officer, he didn't carry a gun. Not everybody had that option, though.
Many of them ran off to Canada.(at least during Viet Nam) Some of them faked disabilities, etc., but I do wonder what happened to the ones who couldn't get out of serving. In Israel, everyone serves in the military for two years. Both men and women. Maybe that gives them a better perspective on the people who do stay on. My father was a 2nd lieutenant during the Viet Nam war, but luckily for him(and me), he served here in the US giving tours to foreign dignitaries. Like your dad, not everyone had that option. I also wonder about all of the college students who signed up for ROTC thinking that they wouldn't have to serve in a war. Sounded like a good deal, until reality hit.
I think of the part Tom Hanks played in Saving Private Ryan. He was an English teacher who had to go to war. Not his thing, but he managed. And it seemed that the English teacher sensibility was pretty useful too.
BTW, I just found out how to make people's pictures show up on my comments. I'm thrilled!
Oh yes, I just noticed the little pictures! I have to get a better one of myself to add to my profile. I just don't think about it unless I am typing at the computer!
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