” i didn’t carry the
weight , or walk in the
boots or even see
the things that they saw.i never had to.
and that is exactly
– JmStorm
the point.
thank you.”
The past twenty-four hours. Magic. Today is 11/11/2020. It’s Veterans Day as well as the beginning and end of two 101-year cycles. With that in mind, the universe delivered what I needed to set clear intentions today.
For me, today is a day to remember our veterans and feel grateful to them because they were brave enough be willing to die for ordinary people like me, and I’m still learning to be brave in asking the universe to deliver the life I want and deserve. For the record, as I’ve been consistently keeping an attitude of gratitude and practicing my rituals for manifesting, the universe continues to answer and deliver.
Yesterday a new blog post came to me – CRYING: Because Sometimes I Feel Blue Even on TnT Tuesday. Between the USMC birthday and Veterans Day, I was remembering so many stories that come to mind whenever someone is spewing about their first-world problems, and I recognize that if they thought about how much they were dishonoring the sacrifices of our veterans and the U.S. military service members who we honor on Memorial Day, they just might shut the fuck up about it.
Most recently I’ve seen memes about presidential candidates “who don’t even know your name”, and Veterans Day brings to mind everyone who has served our country for the nameless masses. That includes you even before you were born, your parents, your grandparents even if they were immigrants who had yet to arrive on U.S. soil. Call it the veterans’ love for their country, but the USA is made of its people.
Yesterday evening, my Marine joined the gathering of local Marines for the USMC birthday. He, the youngest in attendance, was able to spend time with Sarge, our little town’s oldest veteran celebrating with the group. In my son’s words on Instagram accompanying pictures with Sarge:
“It was beyond a privilege to meet a man like Sarge. He earned the privilege for people like me to live a life of freedom. I will be forever grateful for men like him that gave me safety and allowed me the right to lay my head down at night without a worry.”
– LCpl ‘ski
My Marine had been gone about an hour when I received a text message from him, inviting me to come and hang out, so I went down to the tavern even though I had JUST started watching Patch Adams for the howevermanyeth time. I could have easily said, “No. That’s YOUR thing” but one thing remains same as ever – if your children invite you to be part of their world, say “Yes”. Do not set yourself up to some day regret the time you missed with them when you remember that they wanted you to be there and you said “No”.
I felt happy to be granted the privilege of trespassing on their celebration because Sarge shared some of his stories with me, which echoed the thoughts and memories that prompted Crying. To be deemed worthy of any veteran’s stories is a gift, but if a Vietnam Veteran chooses to share his time while he’s remembering pieces of his life it is an honor. Treasure it. He owes you nothing, and he asks nothing of you but your time when he would have laid down his life for you.
Time is a gift.
As divine timing would have it, I also met several Marines and talked about past and present. Each of them shared with me their own stories that resonated with what I wrote in the afternoon, and all without me asking questions. The most meaningful conversation with one of my new friends was about Sarge. “His story is incredible. He hold the utmost respect among the Marines that have heard it… Right, wrong, or indifferent, he gave so much of himself out of love for the Marines around him…”
LOVE. Ego falls away when love is allowed to reign.
And then there was my friend who I met through a mutual friend two years ago, and we had not seen each other since then. I’ve said this before, catching up with someone in person can never be matched by seeing each other every day on social media. He asked me about work, which led to talking about passions in life, which then led me to ask him about his transition back to civilian life and entering the work force. He reminded me of my earlier thoughts in Crying about supporting veteran-owned businesses, except that I didn’t mention that veterans may find it difficult to not only return to civilian ways but also for specific MOSs to find their place in corporate America.
This Veterans Day has felt different for me because typically I feel sadness and anger, but thanks to my local veterans, especially Sarge himself, I worked through it. I heard an unexpected love story, and for that I am grateful.
Luceat lux vestra.
