Harmony
Old Glory is always there to welcome us home.
Harmony
Late night walks with a cigar, a conversation with God, and a pleasant sea breeze always replenish my soul.
As I strolled along, I smiled when I saw Independence Day decorations speckled throughout the neighborhood. I felt that patriotic tug in my heart. I let the feelings flow.
Somehow I also stumbled across some songs on Spotify that instantly reminded me of my first deployment a few years ago. I’ll never forget the sensation that at long last I was fulfilling a dream I’d had for 17 years since America stared evil right in the face, yet again, in all its shock and horror. Then, America went to work.
It was such a small piece of the pie, in a sense - my brief rotation to the Middle East nearly two decades after we declared War on Terrorism certainly didn’t “win the war,” but I cling to those bits of pride and camaraderie that came with an intense desire to contribute to the effort. I connected to the struggle, the fight to defeat forces hostile to human liberty and the right to live peacefully. It’s not just our right as Americans, frankly it’s everyone’s right, and there are many people hard at work trying to remove this most basic intrinsic liberty from our fellow countrymen and human beings across the world alike. These subversive lines of effort just take different forms.
In my nearly three decades walking this good Earth, I see how privileged and blessed I am to have been born in the United States in the late 20th Century. My parents were free to marry, start a family, and raise my sister and I to fully experience the joy of being American kids. I had strong medical care to correct my clubbed foot as an infant, a blessing that allowed me to have a normal childhood and eventually join the service. I then married the love of my life and we started a family of our own. Had I been born in any other time in history or many places around the world, that might not have been the case.
I don’t say all this to say that the rest of the world is sub-par, but rather quite the contrary. There are good people who are striving to be better and improve the quality of life for their fellow countrymen and citizens of other places as well. America was fortunate to have been founded and shaped by people that believed in establishing a nation that allowed mankind to live to our fullest potential. Just like every human institution since we lost our spot in the Garden of Eden, America has its dark spots and committed her share of sins along the way.
Perhaps I’m seeing things through rose-colored glasses. Or perhaps I’m more grateful now than ever before as many fellow countrymen and I have a creeping sensation that many of these immeasurable gifts are not just at risk but taking hostile fire. And we’re losing ground on more than a few fronts.
I don’t believe in complete trust in anything other than God and those whom I hold dearest in this life. Let’s be honest, we’re all broken and imperfectly trying to find our way, kind of like our country at large. That said, I do trust that there are a lot of people without platforms with millions of followers who are living life and trying their best. I trust that the 95 year old who saw his brothers shed their blood in Okinawa gave part of himself, and did so with great dignity. I trust that those marching from Selma to Montgomery 56 years ago put themselves in the way of mistreatment and ire to make life better for their children and grandchildren. I trust that the migrant workers building houses around my community are trying to feed their families and set future generations up for success. I trust that most people around the United States are putting in the effort.
It’s been difficult to learn that many Americans feel that they haven’t been allowed to prosper. It should be our absolute goal to empower our people and let people do what we do well when up to the task - make Herculean efforts to fight the Good Fight.
The beauty of our nation is that from Spokane to Savannah there are city people, country folk, Christians, agnostics, 14th generation Americans, immigrants, and everything in between. These groups are not mutually exclusive. The term melting pot comes to mind - it’s a term that seems to be forgotten in favor of highlighting division and fanning the flames of actual hate.
Another theme hit me recently as well, that of harmony. America prospers when people pursue their goals to improve society and self simultaneously across thousands of different fronts. Community councils and Congress alike serve essential roles. Frankly, whatever the talking heads on the news are orating is typically an element or two of a myriad of struggles and priorities. We all have our part to play. A friend of mine told me once that it’s important to focus on what’s on your plate and not spend so much time worrying about what’s on everyone else’s, and the wisdom I’ve pulled from that lies in the fact that we all have roles, we all have responsibilities, and we all have our piece of the pie in which to contribute. Society flourishes when each spoke in the wheel is strong and keeps rolling onward. The colors of the flag flow just a little more harmoniously when we all contribute.
There is always freedom if we know how to orient our priorities and, ultimately, our hearts’ pursuits.
Happy Independence Day, and God Bless America.
-MJVW