Today’s Musings on Life, War, and Warriors

Hot chow in one hand, a seasoned Sergeant Detters strode across the mess decks aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard. He spotted a younger Marine sitting alone and flourished his tray dramatically, “It looks like dog shit, but boy does it ever taste like heaven!” The boy smiled, and the Sergeant firmly thumped him on the back as he walked off toward the table a few of his buddies had claimed. This was the first hot meal the Marines had eaten in a minute.

Sergeant Detters and his platoon had just finished up a week-long joint training operation at Camp Mujuk, a rural South Korean Marine base. The Marines reflected somberly upon the “Frozen Chosin” Marines of the Korean War; what they must have felt as many casualties fell prey to hypothermia and infection during extended periods of heavy combat. The cold February weather bit through every warming layer Detters and his boys piled on. They cursed about it. They joked about it. At one point, even the ROK Marines joined Detters and his boys in a quick penguin huddle while they all waited for a radio message from the command deck. Patches and uniform items were exchanged, and several push-up competitions broke out. The Marines were cold, but grateful for fellowship and a change of scenery.

War, like life, is timeless yet everchanging. The “bad” part of war from an observer’s standpoint is typically death. Although, I think this is unfair; based in fear of the unknown or misunderstood. Life most certainly leads to death, but humans don’t classify life itself as “bad” – just death. As an observer thinks of war, they imagine crisis, turmoil, bombs, and merciless inhumanity; blood, fire, and desolate battlegrounds. There’s more to it than that.

War is exposing oneself completely to fate, destiny, and the universe. War is experiencing the worst times in life and witnessing the pure human drive to survive against extreme odds. Men and women push past self-perceived limits of mental and physical resiliency, beyond long-held beliefs of what they considered humanly possible. War is finding beauty, or even occasional comfort, in the most hostile and terrifying environments. This is not to say that war is wholly good or should be celebrated. War is terrifying because of the unpredictability, hostility, destruction, and violence it brings. Rather, war should be solemnly respected; not seen so superficially as “poor men fighting rich men’s battles”.

The legacies left by these warriors, the “poor men”, are rich, revealing, noble, and significant. They have left lessons from their toils, enlightening future generations and inspiring appreciation for even life’s smallest wonders – especially life’s smallest wonders. While dreaming of world peace is a common and pleasant human pastime, lamenting over the non-negotiable presence of evil, death, and war in the world is a worrisome waste of time and effort. As humans, the best thing we can do is make peace where we can – chat with a coworker, or compliment a stranger. Even better, learn from a warrior: appreciate life’s dog shit when it’s served, and lend some cheer to a friend while you’re at it.