I really wanted to write something in my usual manner today. Perhaps even a self-congratulatory post for having Claire complete her first, better-than-most-on-their-first-attempt on the Gym Movement protocol. Hell, I was even considering writing about porkchops to try and get at least one of you to sign up for nutritional coaching. But then I read something that made me feel pretty selfish and very insignificant….
When Adam writes, he rarely does it to elicit congratulatory or empathetic responses from his readers. I’m assuming he wrote this for his own, personal benefit (because I rarely talk to him about *why* he posts anything). I know he wasn’t trying to make me, or anyone else for that matter, feel like I am insignificant. I know he wasn’t trying to subliminally make you and I think about how “tough” we think your lives are or because he wanted to make people more aware of what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. He wrote it because this is how he feels, and he chose today to share it with everyone else. (Again, these are my words, not his.)
When I posted this on my twitter page and facebook page, I used the word “emotional”. Like above, I’m sure he didn’t write it specifically to elicit any kind of emotion from you. With that said, if this post doesn’t fill you with sadness, anger, pride, empathy, make you look at your own life, etc.; you, sir/madam, are probably the biggest douches I don’t ever care to know or meet.
I am no better than any of the other hundreds of bro-dudes I have overheard making the statement, “I would have joined, BUT….(insert selfish excuse here)…..” That fact of the matter is, bro, that you and I DIDN’T. We did not choose to put our lives on the line. We chose to sit back and say, “yeah, I don’t need to do that; someone else is already taking care of it.” For that reason alone, you owe it to yourself and, MOST importantly, the veterans, to read this post from Adam.
I won’t lie, this post hits closer to home than something written by CNN because I know Adam personally, but any one of any of the thousands of soldiers we have out there could write this same story. To say that it’s *more* important to read today compared to any other day of the year is complete bullshit. Soldiers are out in the field 24/7/365. Regardless if you agree or don’t agree with the reasons why we’re in these wars, the fact remains that we have fellow men and women out there every single day of the year. They deserve our respect and thoughts more than 1 damn day out of the whole year. Do I sound somewhat superficial for posting this today? Probably. But if this topic ever comes up in conversation, I defend our troops vehemently. Any day of the year.
To Adam, and all veterans, thank you for everything you have done, are doing, and will do in the future. Your sacrafices give me the opportunity to be a bro behind a computer. I didn’t ask you to put your own life on the line so that I could take my own for granted, but you did it anyways. Thank you.
“I, Veteran” by Adam T. Glass
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Well put.
Thanks, Jackie. More people need to read this though. Off to pimp it out….
I obviously read this post and I read Adam’s as well. That was some powerful stuff. You think you have things rough but that can’t nearly compare to what those men and women face day in and day out. Makes you look at things from a different perspective.
I also agree that they should be recognized everyday!! Much respect to them!!
His post was gave me goosebumps. Even more thankful to our soldiers after reading it.