As we just talked about, the people of our home country have the privilege of choosing who will be arguably the most powerful person on the planet.
And yesterday we remembered one of the primary sources of that power:
The servants
“Servant” is an odd term to apply to military members though we often describe what they do as “service.” However the former term is a more correct description than the latter because, though joining the military is a voluntary decision, it is also the last truly free choice a member makes. After that initial decision, the life of a soldier becomes dictated by the all-consuming, demanding and invisible force known as “needs of the service.” This force dictates where a military member will live, what they will be paid, what they will do with every moment of their day (and night), whether or not they will see their families during a given year, how many years before they are allowed to ask for permission to quit, what they will wear and everything else in between.
Children grow up with a deployed parent and just the other day Greg was talking with a military spouse who was having trouble finding work where they were stationed but was unable to move to greener pastures without breaking up the family.
For some, “needs of the service” decides if they will retain their legs, or their sanity…
…or their life.
And it does not ask; it demands.
But the end results are no less dramatic: due to the daily sacrifices of each and every one of those who have worn or wear a uniform, there are few places in the world that have not directly felt the effects of the United States of America.
Whether we were exploring Battle Fortress: South Pacific, watching the Coast Guard assist Tahiti with law enforcement, getting free car rides as thanks for our country saving Australia, hanging out in a Moscow hostel, honoring Kiwis who fought in the trenches or talking with Germans about their work in Afghanistan, one thing is clear – the United States has had a dramatic impact on the world due in large part to those that carried a gun, drove a tank, flew an aircraft or sailed a ship into perilous situations and in direct opposition to their desire for self-preservation.
We could argue about when America was “right” or “wrong” in a given conflict.
But yesterday did not commemorate the overall moral justice behind a given national policy of the United States of America.
It was to remember those who had to actually carry out the will of the many despite personal opinion.
It was to remember the servants.
And how those men and women literally subjected themselves to the needs and commands of their fellow citizens as embodied in our government.
As Americans, our free will is pretty important to us. Freedom to express ourselves, disagree, argue and do, or not do, just about anything we darn well please is a right held near and dear to our hearts. Veterans, all of them, were willing to lay aside that freedom.
Whether they fought in a far off land or braved howling gales at sea on rescue missions or just endured months to years of separation from those they love, the servants did these things not of their own volition but because they were willing to give up their right of self-determination for a time in order to serve a power greater than themselves.
As for us, we may have stood on that line once but there were many, many before us and to this day there are many after. We know that we would not have the freedom to live the life of our dreams if our fellow citizens had not chosen, and still continue to choose, to set aside their own freedom and become servants to us all.
Now maybe parades aren’t your thing. It’s cold in the Northern Hemisphere right now and sleeping in has always been a high priority for us…
But what you can do is this: next time you’re in line at a coffee shop and you see a veteran behind you, just tell the barista to put their coffee on your tab. Buy a $5 gift card if you need to and tell them to charge that. There is something powerful in being a servant and seeing those you serve showing you a random act of appreciation.
Oh, or we could go with how they do it down under.
They buy cookies
As for us, don’t worry, we’re good. For veteran’s day we got taken out for ice cream.
Thanks to Global Limo Service for loaning us the free ride!
Greg and Tiffany are traveling around the world on sailing yachts and keep a video blog of their (mis)adventures. If sailing to Tahiti on a 44 ft sailboat, 3-day delays for wine tastings, getting pooped on by seagulls, opening coconuts with dull machetes, sailing past tornadoes and ukulele Christmas carols are for you, then check them out at www.CoastGuardCouple.com!
