“You can have the sound of a thousand voices calling your name. You can have the light of the world blind, bathe you in grace. But I don’t see so easily what you hold in your hands. Cause castles crumble, kingdoms fall and turn into sand.” – Shinedown
It isn’t about the glory; sometimes there isn’t any to be had. It isn’t about the rush of combat nor the bullets flying by you as you rush towards the sounds of danger. It isn’t about being a hero or defeating the bad guys. To be a veteran means so much more.
My older brother retired from the United States Marines as a Sergeant; his mission complete. I remember every day while he was serving in Iraq, we waited to hear from him. As a young teenager at the time, I wasn’t filled in on every detail, but I knew how everyone was feeling. We all knew he was okay, that he would come back okay but it was the tension while we waited for that call, email, or AIM message that kept us all in suspense. He came back a hero. A hero to the nation, yes, but better yet, he came back a hero to us.
When being enlisted to any military outfit, it isn’t as a joke or to show off to your buddies. To be in the military is a serious commitment that should never be taken lightly. While the soldiers are off in foreign lands fighting, and maintaining the peace, civilians back home know very little about the hardships they go through. Sure, we hear about it in the stories told after the fact, but there is so much more to them than just words.
Have you ever heard a gun being fired right next to you? How about a bullet screaming pass your ear to hit the dirt? Have you ever been somewhere that doesn’t smell like home? Forget smell, what about feelings like you are nowhere near home? There are some sensations and experiences that are indescribable, far beyond what I’ve detailed here.
I’m not a soldier. I don’t want to go to war. I know that I could never handle that strenuous effort, both physically and mentally, that it takes to be a soldier. I touched on darker subjects previously but I digress: it isn’t all about the combat. I love my brother; he will forever be a model of someone I want to be. To have the strength to leave home to fight for the greater good is a strength many of us will never know.
This isn’t even about Veteran’s day. This is something that should be thought about and appreciated every day. While we may appreciate it one day out of the year, there are still people fighting and maintaining peace far away from their homes. This is a message to all veterans. A message that you are appreciated for all your efforts. That you are missed at home. I don’t love all the fighting and war in the world or in history. But I will stand up for anyone’s right to defend what they love.
