Veterans Day

No school today. The children stayed home. We played in the playground and enjoyed our free and stable country thanks to veterans. The only veteran like thing I did was listen to stories about veterans on the radio. Growing up, veterans were people like my Uncle. People older than me. It disturbs me that now veterans are often younger than me. The stories about parents of marines who died were particularly sad to me.

Not only have I never served, but I really wish that nobody had to serve, and whenever I hear someone  young telling me about how they love their country and have no problem dying for it, I almost kind of tear up and feel that it is somehow wrong that this person who is so full of goodness should have to consider such a thing when so many other people are so wicked and corrupt.

Hearing people who did serve, and how glad they were to serve so that others didn't have to, makes me realize that I'm really not that great a person. In fact, when I hear people talk like that I think they must be Saints of some sort. I don't feel guilty or bad about myself. I'm just saying I'm not that good. And I am surprised that others are.

The only reason why I would consider serving, would be to ensure that my children don't. Of course I would serve so that they won't have to. But that generosity just doesn't extend to strangers and their kids. (not yet anyway.) And for  many military people or people interested in signing up that's what it is about. Not to say everyone in the military is a Saint. I'm just amazed that some people could even think like that. When I was younger, I guess part of me felt that way, but a much bigger part of me did not.

I only ever considered ROTC or something like that in college.  It was not the idea of serving so someone else didn't have to. It was just some sort of vague post 9/11 patriotism, mixed with being alone in the world and so why not? I recall several people talking me out of it. But they were just voicing opinions that were already a part of me.

Now that I am older, and the people coming back from war are still younger than me and have childlike faces, I think it's pretty backward that the ones who go to protect the rest of us are so young.  I feel like we should be protecting our young. They are smarter, and quicker, and full of better ideas. Our young are our future, and yet we send them off into harms way. In this country they volunteer of course, but still.

I'm not saying I will be signing up to go when I am 50. Though it would seem more fair to our children wouldn't it?

Explaining Veterans day to my children was difficult. I just vaguely talked about honoring people who fought in wars for our country, and I found myself parroting what I hear on the news without thinking. Even though I  never served and I hope my children will also never serve, I feel like somehow we should do something more. Perhaps we should have sent some sort of cards like I saw some teachers do on Facebook.  Or for a long time I have been thinking that Mein Lay Jum could possibly help a lot of the symptoms of PTSD. Anyway, I have noticed ex-soldiers who seemed to have found comfort in Kung Fu over the years.

Well to all the Veterans and active members of the military,

 Thank you for you service.