I served in the Marine Corps two different times and my son is presently in the Marines. Although there was no officially declared war while I was in, I was there and prepared to serve. If you have someone special, or a special story you'd like to shared, PLEASE do. Show your thanks and pride to the person, and/or the memory of that special person.
I will be hosting the show, please tune in. I'd like to form some thoughts and things to say in honor of YOUR memories and thankfulness of having served yourself or having some served that you know and care about.
I'll never forget when my wife was pregnant with our third child. It had been about 6 years since our middle child was born. Memories and experiences of an infant arriving were a past memory. I also remember going to the mall and seeing other pregnant women. I saw strollers and maternity clothing shops and other products and services that I had paid absolutely no attention having that as a distant memory. I then realized that I was so far removed from the experience of an infant that I had no awareness prior to the pregnancy and now a full blown awareness of all things related. It's like one of those special effects where all things are shaded in black and white and there's a bright color to highlight something that sticks out.
I want to say that there have been, are, and always will be special folks that lay their lives on the line. I personally owe to take a moment and think about the men who in the youth of their lives picked up the weapon and died. As I write that line, it feels a bit crude and raw but, this is the point of contrast, the way to elevate and distinguish. Yeah, there are times I feel that life really is challenging, that I'm let down or even let others down, but, I can't help but wonder about that 19 year old kid that lay in the sand giving his life for a cause. This is the highest sacrifice anyone can give. There may be some that read this and will remember their friend, their uncle, their dad, their loved one. The question is, how can we honor those that did this?
I think a good place to start is to think about them. Think of what kind of leadership may have perished on the battlefield. Think of those that had the character to obey and serve, who put the uniform on and marched into harms way. Who wants to die that is of a healthy mind? What courage it would take to know that you must leave the safety of an iron ship to touch the sand where rounds are being fired or to attempt to execute a maneuver that will insure a victory knowing that you are part of the section that's going to take the direct assault. To know that you are in the cross hairs of the enemy. To wonder if it's really an honorable cause, or perhaps no doubt whatsoever, totally convinced that this is the moment to execute all the training and values that are the core of your being. The luxury to access whether or not those that have sent these to war was for a just cause is not practical because an indecisive moment can cause the loss of limb, sight, or life to the yourself or the one fighting next to you.
For me, the second thing is to say, "thank you." Not all that go into battle die. Not all that train go into battle. But from those that give the ultimate price to those that were next to them and survived, to them that were prepared to go to the field and weren't sent, each has sworn an oath to protect. My heart is overwhelmed with a gratitude of those that show this kind of maturity and dedication, and so I say, thank you and thank you to all!
Being that this is a sports program, I want to speak of some parallels where many sports emulate elements of battle. Please do NOT misunderstand me, for I do not want to disrespect those that gave their lives. I am now talking about a subset of genuine battle where protection, freedom are the goal and life and limb are the possible losses. There are great emotions associated with sports. Teams for regional locations having a line of scrimmage where movements are done with precise military discipline and training. To strike into the line, or to try to flank the line, or an aerial assault. Men who box having trained for weeks to stand in an enclosed space in order to exercise a battle of skills and will. We watch, safely from the sidelines. We are moved and scream when our associated team or individual executes something that is associated with victory. I've been pondering for years why this is so. Recently, I saw a special on Gatti vs. Ward, two boxers that fought 3 times. The first fight, round 9 is called by some the greatest round of boxing for the century. I remember watching it. It wasn't the blood that reeled me in. Some think that it's the potential of death that makes it intriguing. Personally, I reject that. When Jim Lampley, HBO Analyst was asked what the greatest fight, round of boxing he's called, he replied Gatti vs. Ward, round 9, and here's the point.... he wept as he said it. He wept, as I did when I watched it. I called my boys into the room when the fight was going on and said, "LOOK, these men are LIVING." They were exercising life. They were, in my estimation breaking through a dimension of normal life to an extraordinary experience. This life is not limited to combat, it can be manifested in gymnastics, ballet, chess, speech contests, etc... The point is that they were without fear, living in the moment. I covet that experience. I wept then, and I weep even now as I write this, challenged to live ... to live without fear, to execute life without regrets and to give 100%.
So, in closing, please hit the "reply", write something. Think of those that have gone before us and paved the way for us. Thank your kids, dads, grand-dad, cousins, brothers, sisters, moms who have served, say it to them while they can hear it. My love and gratitude is to all of them, and presently, to my son who is serving. Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment