The following excerpts are from Brave Enough To Be Bliss, Section VI, Chapter 6, shared today in honor of Veterans Day.
I’ve only lived in the United States, so I don’t know what it’s like in other countries, but I believe many Americans do everything we can to run away from pain and fear. So even when we have the opportunity to learn more about the military, those of us who haven’t served tend to shy away from the topic because it makes us scared on many levels. Fear for those who serve, fear of the pain those who have lost loved ones must feel, fear of the fear loved ones must feel daily for those who serve, fear of terrorism, fear of war, and the list could go on and on.
But once we realize it is only our brains trying to protect us from potential pain, we can tell ourselves: it’s OK, we’re safe thanks to them. We can acknowledge and appreciate those who face their fears on the daily.
“In this life we cannot always do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa
What do you call people who jump in between you and someone who is trying to kill you?
Heroes.
What do you call people who willingly enter the military, risk their lives for your country and all of its citizens, see atrocities you can’t even imagine, and come home with PTSD, and the only way they know how to survive the memories are by drowning the pain of what they saw in alcohol or drugs?
Drunks or addicts.
In both cases, they risked their lives to save yours. The hero with PTSD needs help, but he is still a hero and should be treated as such. We owe him the respect heroes deserve, as well as our love, care and concern for his mental health condition that came as a result of his heroism.
Yes, he will need to learn to accept help, but treating him with a hero’s respect and love, care, and concern as a human being instead of disdain, has a much better chance of helping him feel worthy of living. And if he feels worthy of living, he might actually be encouraged to reach out for or receive help.
If you felt worthless, why would you do the hard work to save yourself? You can’t save yourself when you think you don’t mean anything, won’t amount to anything, and are somebody no one wants. An outcast, dirty, and broken, unworthy of a life worth living. That is a devastating place to get out of that requires love, kindness, and compassion, not disgust, irritation and impatience.
Life…is…hard, loving someone in the miliary is hard, and serving in the military is hard, especially when a person’s physical or mental health, body parts or lives are at risk. It is tough stuff to give yourself, to risk your life, in service of others. Please watch this video and don’t just hear the words of the song, feel them, and then remember them on a daily basis as you enjoy the freedoms you have. And let that move you to support and offer your respect to those who willingly defend or have defended you and all in this country.
“Fear grows out of the things we think; it lives in our minds. Compassion grows out of the things we are, and lives in our hearts.” Barbara Garrison