I just realized I'm not really giving 30 days of thanks because I'm not blogging on weekends. Oh well. I do digress...
Anyway, today I'm thankful for all those who have put their life on the lines for our freedom, those who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces.
Now, I'm in no way a staunch supporter of wars. I'm totally into peace, but I know there is a time and place to fight for our rights and the rights of those who cannot stand up for themselves, and I know that freedom comes at a cost and I appreciate those who are brave enough to stand up for those freedoms.
I would never have the balls to go into the military. I don't think I'd survive basic training let alone actually have what it takes to go to the front lines of a war torn country. I know people who have been and come back, those who have lost friends and family and even if they don't lose a life, some sacrifice has always been made, whether it be to mind, body, or spirit.
So, men and women of our armed forces, thank you. I'm grateful that you have the courage to stand up and fight for my freedoms.
I think sometimes it's easy to forget that. Freedom isn't free. I'm not a proponent of war, but I also am not naive to the fact that certain battles have allowed us certain freedoms. A necessary evil, if you will.
And the people that fight those battles, whether they're behind the scenes or in the trenches have all sacrificed for us. They've sacrificed their families, their bodies, some of them their souls, their lives.
No matter if I agree with the fight at hand or not, I always feel for, appreciate and respect those out there serving, taking risks to protect the freedoms we've become so accustomed to having. not only them, but their spouses, their children, their parents, because they've sacrificed too.
I've seen firsthand a soldier's battle scars, both physical and emotional. I would never for an instant step into their shoes, to do what they've done, to see what they've seen.
It takes a certain type of person to do battle for others. It takes valor, selflessness, and conviction to put yourself out there, to risk your life for even the tiniest shred of freedom.
Thank a veteran today.
Let's choose today's scribbles in honor of veterans Day.
Song of the week: Man, it took me like an hour to find the right song. I like this one. Dear Avery by the Decemberists. Colin Meloy, the singer told spin magazine that this track is about the Iraq War and how parents are affected when their children are shipped off to battle. "I imagine it being a letter sent from a mother to a solider," he said. "I was reading a lot about soldiers and the war and their parents back home — having a kid myself, it just made me really mindful of that relationship."
Netflix of the week: Again, a hard pick, but Saving Private Ryan kind of encapsulates not only what soldiers have to do, but the grief of those they leave behind.
book of the Week: I'm going to pick A Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen. Had a debate about this book awhile back. A sad but very real story about war and what it can do to the mind and soul.
Quotes of the Week:
"Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul." -Michel de Montaigne
"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." -Cynthia Ozick
I've had this running discussion on an Amazon forum, as well as on Facebook after a woman was upset, as well as her son, that the book he had to read for his language arts ended with the main character committing suicide. They both think the teacher should have warned about the tragic ending of the story and perhaps shouldn't have taught that book at all.
I disagree.
I write about tragedy. A lot. Real life tragedy. Death, eating disorders, kidnapping, school shootings. Not every story has a happy ending. This is just a fact, so how can every story we write have a happy ending? They can't. In my research about YA literature, I've found that teens want a character they can relate to. One that shares there own fears, problems, and issues. These issues include violence, abuse, drugs, even death.
I also take issue with this because of the book in question. I've not read it, but I ordered it yesterday because it sounds amazing. It's based on the life of a real person. A boy who lies about his age so he can join the army during the Civil War. He's fifteen and he thinks it's going to be a good time. He's very wrong. He witnesses death, kills, and probably more. He gets wounded and goes home, then suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. This is a historically significant book. It teaches that the war doesn't end on the battlefield. Soldiers take it home with them, and some suffer as a result. It is also relevant to today as our troops continue to come home from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from PTSD. I've seen it first hand.
Not to mention the author, Gary Paulsen, has written three Newberry Honors titles, so, you know, he's an award winning author.
A teacher hands out a syllabus at the beginning of each semester. As a parent, you need to look at it, and here at our schools, you have to sign it and send it back. Perhaps instead of criticizing the book choices your teachers make, (which I know are very carefully chosen) you look into them yourself first.
But to have the teacher warn you about an unhappy ending, you may as well just be one of those people who read the end of the book before they start. Also, there has been discussion about hope. Many novels with sad endings still leave us with a feeling of hope at the end. I have no idea if the book in question (A Soldier's Heart) does or not, but I'm going to find out.
Okay, I think I ranted enough. Weigh in. Let me know what you think.
It's Memorial Day, and you will rarely find me talking about politics or the military here. I do appreciate what our soldiers and veterans do for us, which is mostly, defending our freedoms. They ensure that we have rights, and protect us from tyranny. They keep our country strong to avoid attacks as much as they can.
So, here are some freedoms I am grateful for.
I'm grateful for the right to an education
for the right to choose what I want in life, rather than have it dictated to me.
I'm grateful for the freedom to choose who I spend my life with, rather than let someone else choose for me.
I'm grateful for the roof over my head, the food on my table, the necessities it takes to survive and the wants it takes to enjoy.
I'm grateful I'm able to teach my daughters to be strong, to stand up for what they believe in, and to pursue whatever they want in life.
I'm grateful for the freedom to choose what I want to believe in.
I'm grateful I have the right to vote.
I'm grateful I have a voice.
Today, remember a fallen soldier, and thank a living one.
