Recently I have seen many of my Veteran friends seemingly struggling under the same strain I am feeling. Our self imposed obligations seem to grow daily and for me I see so many things that need to be done. Families that we come into contact with that need help and support, fellow Veterans or service members that just need some fellowship and a hand to shake, our communities adrift and lacking leadership, our young people without parenting and basic guidance needed to grow up with skills, values and to look beyond themselves. I largely see a selfish world around me and I want to fix all of these things. There is a gargantuan list of things that need doing and never a question of why me, it’s how can I do more? Why can’t I do more? Where can I be a better man, father, husband, organizer, leader, friend, and make a positive change in the world around me? Where should I start or what should I do next? As my group of military and veteran friends around the world has grown on Facebook and TogetherWeServed, the more I feel like we are a significant force and we can make a difference on a REALLY big scale. I have come up with grand ideas to raise money and make a difference and I know I am not the only one. Team Rubicon is a prime example of what Veterans can do for their communities and country and there are many more. Today I realized that while grand ideas are fantastic and an example of what we can do, just supporting each other is as important and vital. I am a practicing introvert, it’s not in my nature to reach out to people I don’t know, put myself out there and say, “hey how are you doing?” and let the conversation begin, go where it will and grow from the interaction. As members of the military we chose to make a difference. Initially it may have been to make a difference in ourselves. I know that was the case for me. I needed to prove to myself I could do the hardest thing I could think of. Having done that, I know I can make a difference in the world around me. The question isn’t if I can, it’s how and how much and who can I join with to change the world or even just my neighborhood.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:33:07 +0000