Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a Warrior - Karl Von Clausewitz
Since the beginning of time there has been war. From the earliest days of recorded history until present day news headlines the world over, we have all been witness to war and all of the harm that comes from it. I am not a pacifist by any means. Even the Word of God says that there is a time and place to everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes Chapter 3). However, this does not justify the fact that the wars of late have been borderline senseless ones and a great many of our brave servicemen and servicewomen have been thrust into conflicts the world over on the whims of politicians that reside comfortably in their plush offices in our Nation's capital.
US Foreign policy as of late has pretty much made a police force (and occasional Assassination Squad) out of the US Military. As evidenced by the summary execution of Osama Bin Laden or even the capture and execution of Saddam Hussein. Our brave men and women of the Armed Services have protected this nation’s values valiantly and some have paid the ultimate price for us to enjoy the liberties that we so very often take for granted. However, soldiers are forced to obey orders that sometimes tarnish the reputation of the United States by the use of questionable gestapo tactics (Can anyone say Gitmo?). The members of our military have even at times been forced to regulate its own citizens in times of Civil unrest; from the WWI Veteran’s Bonus Army Protests of 1932 in Washington D.C. to the Civil Rights Demonstrations of the Sixties in the South.
Now don’t get it twisted. The brave men and women of our Armed Services deserve our utmost respect and should always be regarded with the highest esteem and admiration. Their job at times can be a thankless one. Regardless of how you feel about America’s foreign policy and the wars that our nation arbitrarily finds itself in from time to time, the soldiers that sacrifice their livihood and place themselves in harm’s way every single day deserve our utmost gratitude and respect.
Now with that said, let me change gears for just a moment.
The one thing I have come to realize as I have lived this very interesting life of mine is that war is not just waged on battlefields or in mountain ranges or on plains half a world away. We all go to war everyday in one way or another and sometimes we don’t even have to leave the comforts of our own home. As a matter of fact, some of us only have to look within ourselves to find a conflict of astounding and astonishing proportions. The unfortunate but inevitable fact about a war or conflict of any kind is that there are and always will be casualties.
I know all too well about loss….especially loss for the “greater good”. Sometimes it is necessary for one to put their feelings and desires aside for the greater good of furthering a cause, saving or restoring a relationship, saving a life, etc. I have had to do this for each of the aforementioned scenarios. As I look back on the consequences and fallout of my actions I sometimes question if it was all worth it. Sometimes the answer has been a resounding no and if I had it to do over again I probably would not have made the sacrifice. In other instances, I would do it again in a heartbeat because my sacrifice bore good fruit and had positive results. Nevertheless, when it’s all said and done life is all about choices and all choices take you somewhere….bold choices take you where you are destined to be. It takes courage to embark on a mission with the odds stacked against you. It takes a tremendous amount of audacity to set sail for an unknown destination on nothing but a vision and God’s promise to work everything out for your good if you stay faithful.
Perseverance is one of the qualities that I have always admired about trailblazers and those individuals that stand up for their beliefs. Trust me, standing for truth while those around you would rather roll with untruths and deceitfulness is not for the faint of heart. It is more than a notion to follow the path less traveled. On the other hand if doing the right thing and living justly were easy, it would be the norm in today's society and not the exception. It is this author's humble opinion that the number one goal of everyone that walks this planet should be to leave any environment that they enter in better shape than when they entered it. To be light where darkness exists. To stamp out untruths and injustice with every single resource that they have at their disposal. The great philosopher Confucius said it best:
“Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.”
Over the course of my life I have had to face and overcome so many hardships and have nearly lost my life on a couple occasions because of recklessness and impulsiveness. Yet in spite of all that has happened to me I have obtained so many characteristics that I never would have learned had I not “been through the storm”. Now I am not a meteorologist or anything of the sort, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are more “storms” on the horizon. Whenever you attempt to lead a life of tranquility and positivity you are bound to meet opposition. Nevertheless, with each tempest I grow stronger, wiser, more resolute, and more patient no matter what storms may arise. My father would always tell me that the number one characteristic of a great soldier is adaptability - the ability to acclimatize one’s self to whatever their environment becomes. Now I personally have not served a single day in the Military. Nonetheless I am a soldier. Waging spiritual warfare against those who dare to oppose my pursuit of peace and serenity for myself and all of those that I hold near and dear. For as the Word of God says, the weapons of my warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor 10:4). I don’t go around picking the fight but best believe if you bring one my way I will never back down for if I don’t defend myself or the people and things I treasure no one else will.
Now by no stretch of the imagination am I under the impression that this soldier’s story is any different than a Million other people’s story on this little blue marble….nonetheless it is mine. Regardless of the similarities of individuals’ trials and tribulations, the thing that differentiates one person’s destiny from another is how they respond or react to the obstacles that life places in their path. Your story I’m sure has had its share of ups and downs. However, if you happen to be one of those fortunate individuals that have led a charmed life and haven’t had to endure any of the aforementioned seasons that I have referred to in this entry or anything remotely similar to them then all I can say is that is a wonderful thing….. and to just keep on living. Adversity is not a respecter of persons.
As for me.... the will to press on in spite of disappointments and setbacks, the drive to do what people tell me I can’t do, the ability to persevere in the face of adversity, the faith to believe that a delay from the Most High is not a denial are all chapters in this soldier’s story. Glory be to God that its end remains unwritten. Nevertheless, for now I confidently press on ….. most definitely looking forward to what the end will be. Consequently, if at the end of this soldier’s story, my good days outnumber my bad days, if I have left a legacy of positivity, done my part to make this world that we live in a better place and have helped just one person to improve their quality life…. then my living will not have been in vain.
