Jedi Enlightenment and the Curse of Perpetual High School
So I’ve been contemplating the Jedi recently and comparing them to my friends and I in the Army. I have a new respect for their decision to remain celibate and their need to show passive restraint before they wield their full mastery of the Force. In the Army as with the Jedi order there are times of peace and times of war. In the peaceful times both do projects that are for the common good of the people and the Republic. In war the Jedi unleash their might against any enemy that threatens the peace. Well that’s really where the Army and the Jedi differ because politics get in the Army’s way to efficiently get the task done so that we can get back to our peaceful time once again. The Jedi remain celibate, at least during the Old Republics time, to keep their focus and so that their feelings for loved ones doesn't cloud their judgment. I believe that the Army would be much more efficient if it was still a “single mans” Army. Now don’t start crucifying me ladies I’m not saying women shouldn’t be in the military, that’s a whole other story in and of itself, I’m just saying that back in the day before women were allowed to join it was mostly career single soldiers. Our battles seemed to be a lot less hampered by indecision then it is today.
Family and the Army are like oil and water. There is no mixing the two no matter how hard you try it. I myself have been married two times. The first, while not directly the Army’s fault for its failure, ended after a year deployment to Iraq. That’s a whole other story itself too. As with the Jedi combat changes us too much and our spouses don’t get it when we get mad at them because they are upset at what we perceive as “stupid shit”. An example would be my wife getting all crazy upset because Wal-Mart has a long ass line in all one hundred checkout lanes. Traffic jams and bills and other things that most people deem important or crisis worthy have been turned moot to the soldier who has sent a year or two in combat. We are perceived as apathetic and insensitive to our significant others needs and feelings. It’s not that we don’t care that you burned dinner and for some reason you’re crying even though we’re still wolfing it down like it’s the best food we’ve ever eaten. It’s just that it IS the best food we’ve ever eaten. Made by the one we love in a safe environment where no one is trying to blow us up or shoot us. All of the issues that are important to us are life and death issues. After surviving a year or two in combat standing in a line doesn’t even come close to making us as upset as it will our loved ones. No one’s going to die and it just gives us more time to talk them. Jedi’s didn’t have these concerns because when they were done fighting they went back to a life of meditation and peacekeeping. Everyone thinks that Matrics Bullet Time stuff is the stuff of Hollywood special effects, but it’s a real concept and we all come home from combat living in bullet time. In this day and age everyone wants to move so fast and our spouses are running their selves ragged simply because they’ve gotten into the habit of doing that. When we show back up at home we are trying to enjoy everything around us. Everything that is taken for granted by all the “civilians” we are trying to take in. Our loved ones especially. We just want to be around you and take in all we have missed. We have a years worth of catching up to do and we don’t really want to spend that time running around like damn chickens with our neckpiece cut in twain. So what ends up happening is our spouse’s think that we don’t appreciate what they are trying to do for us. We get angry because we perceive such thoughts as unimportant because no one has died and we start to yell or in some cases worse because we’re still in attack mode. It’s hard to let go of the offensive when you’ve been on it over a year. It’s hard on both sides of the fence when it comes to the homecoming. The strong love will survive and the weak will fall. Which leads into the next topic.
The Army for some strange reason makes some people think that they are forever trapped in high school and that the way they acted in high school is a perfectly acceptable form of behavior. It’s not just the soldiers either; it somehow affects the spouses as well. That’s why the divorce rate in the Army is huge and part of the reason why it skyrockets after a deployment. Guys can’t keep their special friend in their pants and the girls sling theirs around like it’s going out of style, both soldier and spouse. You can just tell how bad it is by listening to the rumors that float around about certain people. Everyone wants to be in everybody else’s business. It’s either that or they are looking for a free spot on your back to jab a twelve inch blade. It’s amazing to see grown men and women acting like they are still sixteen years old.
As everyone knows I can’t wait to get out. September 7th 2007 will be my last day in this mans Army and it can’t come too soon. Worse comes to worse the Army has taught me that living like a bum isn’t so bad once you get used to it. I just have to do something that’s going to make me happy cause combat has taught me that life is even shorter then the civilians believe and that if you don’t live to be happy then you’re better off dead. Since I don’t really want to die I better start making myself happy. A wonderful wife, Stacie, and a pocket full of dreams are a recipe for happy living for this Jedi now at peace with himself. My unit’s been extended forty-five more days past our original year. I’m pretty upset about this because I have a beautiful wife I want desperately to get back to so I can soak up all that she is. Now, though, I have to wait a little longer and I have to make the best of that. When I do get home, finally, I’ll be bursting with music just waiting for me to pluck it from the ether. My wife won’t even recognize me I’ll be so happy to see her. Now it’s all a test of my patience. The Force is strong with this one.
That’s all for now everyone. I’ll see you all later on down the road.
Mike
Family and the Army are like oil and water. There is no mixing the two no matter how hard you try it. I myself have been married two times. The first, while not directly the Army’s fault for its failure, ended after a year deployment to Iraq. That’s a whole other story itself too. As with the Jedi combat changes us too much and our spouses don’t get it when we get mad at them because they are upset at what we perceive as “stupid shit”. An example would be my wife getting all crazy upset because Wal-Mart has a long ass line in all one hundred checkout lanes. Traffic jams and bills and other things that most people deem important or crisis worthy have been turned moot to the soldier who has sent a year or two in combat. We are perceived as apathetic and insensitive to our significant others needs and feelings. It’s not that we don’t care that you burned dinner and for some reason you’re crying even though we’re still wolfing it down like it’s the best food we’ve ever eaten. It’s just that it IS the best food we’ve ever eaten. Made by the one we love in a safe environment where no one is trying to blow us up or shoot us. All of the issues that are important to us are life and death issues. After surviving a year or two in combat standing in a line doesn’t even come close to making us as upset as it will our loved ones. No one’s going to die and it just gives us more time to talk them. Jedi’s didn’t have these concerns because when they were done fighting they went back to a life of meditation and peacekeeping. Everyone thinks that Matrics Bullet Time stuff is the stuff of Hollywood special effects, but it’s a real concept and we all come home from combat living in bullet time. In this day and age everyone wants to move so fast and our spouses are running their selves ragged simply because they’ve gotten into the habit of doing that. When we show back up at home we are trying to enjoy everything around us. Everything that is taken for granted by all the “civilians” we are trying to take in. Our loved ones especially. We just want to be around you and take in all we have missed. We have a years worth of catching up to do and we don’t really want to spend that time running around like damn chickens with our neckpiece cut in twain. So what ends up happening is our spouse’s think that we don’t appreciate what they are trying to do for us. We get angry because we perceive such thoughts as unimportant because no one has died and we start to yell or in some cases worse because we’re still in attack mode. It’s hard to let go of the offensive when you’ve been on it over a year. It’s hard on both sides of the fence when it comes to the homecoming. The strong love will survive and the weak will fall. Which leads into the next topic.
The Army for some strange reason makes some people think that they are forever trapped in high school and that the way they acted in high school is a perfectly acceptable form of behavior. It’s not just the soldiers either; it somehow affects the spouses as well. That’s why the divorce rate in the Army is huge and part of the reason why it skyrockets after a deployment. Guys can’t keep their special friend in their pants and the girls sling theirs around like it’s going out of style, both soldier and spouse. You can just tell how bad it is by listening to the rumors that float around about certain people. Everyone wants to be in everybody else’s business. It’s either that or they are looking for a free spot on your back to jab a twelve inch blade. It’s amazing to see grown men and women acting like they are still sixteen years old.
As everyone knows I can’t wait to get out. September 7th 2007 will be my last day in this mans Army and it can’t come too soon. Worse comes to worse the Army has taught me that living like a bum isn’t so bad once you get used to it. I just have to do something that’s going to make me happy cause combat has taught me that life is even shorter then the civilians believe and that if you don’t live to be happy then you’re better off dead. Since I don’t really want to die I better start making myself happy. A wonderful wife, Stacie, and a pocket full of dreams are a recipe for happy living for this Jedi now at peace with himself. My unit’s been extended forty-five more days past our original year. I’m pretty upset about this because I have a beautiful wife I want desperately to get back to so I can soak up all that she is. Now, though, I have to wait a little longer and I have to make the best of that. When I do get home, finally, I’ll be bursting with music just waiting for me to pluck it from the ether. My wife won’t even recognize me I’ll be so happy to see her. Now it’s all a test of my patience. The Force is strong with this one.
That’s all for now everyone. I’ll see you all later on down the road.
Mike
posted by Mike | 12:12 AM
1 Comments:
very good article man. i totally feel you on the hectic pace that everyone sets for themselves here in the lower 48. i've looked at life as a jedi myself for quite some time. you just need to let things go, wait until youre ready for certain things, and not rush anything that has no real reason to be rushed. late to work? tell them the truth: "i was running late today and instead of rushing and possibly causing an accident getting here at breakneck speeds, i took it all at the legal limit and got here safe and sound. youre not going to be upset because if id died in an accident, no one would be here right now." and boom - jedi mind trick. if they expect a lie and you give them the truth, it blows their mind. if the past 3 years (and few weeks in particular) have taught me anything it is take things at your own pace. enjoy the little things. take time to sit and look around everyday. as much as that sounds like it belongs on an old ladys wall in crochet its true. adventure? excitement? a jedi craves not these things...
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home