The Way of the Warrior

In one of the many dichotomies that seem to define me, I'm a person who has never really had a serious physical fight in his life past the age of puberty, while simultaneously being someone who totally respects and reveres the military.

Maybe that's not totally dichotomous. I guess it's perfectly plausible to respect the talents that others have that are lacking in yourself. That is, while I might not possess certain skills myself I can certainly appreciate their necessity in the grand scheme of things and honor those who do possess them. I'm not a very big person, clocking in around 150-160 pounds depending on the time of year. I'm in fairly good shape but I couldn't handle 140 degree days and 72 hour shifts of sleeplessness, even when I was in my 20s. I'm small boned, have a heart murmur, and in general just don't have that kind of innate hardiness that many of the military guys seem to have.

This difference between what I know I couldn't do and what I also know needs to be done is reflected in my attitude towards the military in general. I wish no one had to have a military force. It'd be great if everyone in the world got along and trusted each other and solved whatever conflicts there were without violence or the threat of it. Unfortunately, we all know this isn't the way the world works. I hate killing and fighting, and it pains me terribly to see the daily news reports of soldiers dying, from all countries. It's a great pity that we as a race haven't evolved beyond that.

But the unavoidable truth is that we haven't. The strong preys on the weak, and the weak must either defend itself or die. Bullies and would-be bullies of every stripe abound all over the globe and to not acknowledge that and prepare for it is not only foolish, it's immoral.

So these are the thoughts I have this Memorial Day weekend, where most everyone is busy barbecuing and boating and wearing short shorts and settling into the modern American holiday mode of trying to do too much at once while somehow managing to forget what exactly the holiday is supposed to be about. I don't party, or have relatives over, or barbecue. That's not a huge sacrifice because I'm not crazy about any of those things anyway (well, some of my relatives are OK). But I do remember the fallen warriors on this day. In World War II, my dad and three uncles served, both at home and overseas. My mother's brother served during the Vietnam War. I know those who lost loved ones in wars. War is horrible, unthinkable business and no one aside from lunatics wants any part of it. But what do you do when there are no other alternatives? What do you do when you are attacked and your very life and way of life are threatened? What do you do when your children's safety is put in jeopardy?

Those who have served, past and present, are the reason we are all able to vote, complain about our elected officials, seek work and love and happiness anywhere we want, and pursue whatever religious beliefs we choose to. I fully understand that the necessity of war is in the eye of the beholder and that several of America's wars have been and are hotly debated. But regardless of the wisdom of any of these wars, the motivation and courage of the men and women fighting them has remained unassailable. They are willing to put their lives at risk, to pay the ultimate sacrifice in order to ensure the safety of their families, their friends and neighbors, their nation. I can really think of no higher motivation than to risk your own life for what you believe in, and these people do it day in and day out, often for years or even decades. The ones interred in cemeteries all over the country and overseas lost their lives in the service of protecting others, throwing themselves in harm's way so that the rest of us can stay safe and free.

No matter what your political stripe, you would not have a beating heart within your chest if you didn't respect and honor that service.

I wish we didn't need warriors. I wish the world wasn't so brutal and cruel and savage. Maybe someday man will no longer feel the need to resort to violence to solve it's differences. But until that day, someone has to stand and resist the dark forces that seek to keep us all trapped in a cycle of violence and conquest. Someone has to make sure that the dreamers among us live long enough to make those changes we all want.

So tomorrow I'll visit my local cemetery and think a while and give my silent thanks. I'll remember that some things are truly worth dying for, and I'll thank Heaven for all those who have done so.