War places us in contact with our darker nature and the alternate reality of our existence. It goes far beyond religion, morals, training, combat, and what is considered normal to
most folks.
Each of us has the capacity for great awareness, great enlightenment, and great love and truth, but we also have the capacity for great
destruction, anger, pain, fear, and even madness, if we become lost to our darker nature.
It isn't a matter of right, or wrong in war, only an acceptance of what
is and following orders. In combat, almost anything goes and our moral teachings have to be set aside.
Guilt is the
consequence, as well as an underlying fear that we may experience this part of ourselves again, even in
less dangerous circumstances.
It's normal to suppress our dark nature and fear its
presence, as long as we remember, at the other end of it, is great light, knowledge, and healing.
We are not our darkness. We are a consciousness that observes the darkness and, at times, for self-preservation, we are forced to identify with it, like in combat. When we are in darkness, there is a freedom that didn't
exist in our normal daily lives.
This same freedom is experienced by those who seek enlightenment. It is a place where we become free of the teachings of mankind, and potentially aware that we and life are much more than we originally thought.
This same freedom is experienced by those who seek enlightenment. It is a place where we become free of the teachings of mankind, and potentially aware that we and life are much more than we originally thought.
This freedom can give us the power to choose and create an
authentic life built on love, healing, and serving others, or on a life that embraces
judgment, guilt, and unbelievable emotional pain.
The warrior can face their pain and break free from the
shackles of mankind, or they can give in to their unconscious guilt and shame
and be tortured by it.
“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale
Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you feel comfortable sharing. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history, sharing the truth about the Vietnam veteran, and what it was like in Our War.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to comment.