I remember when my brother told my mother he was joining the British Army. She cried. He went. She cried. He kept her updated with his movements from one war zone to another. She cried. He went home for a break and showed photos and told stories. She cried. He went back and did whatever soldiers do. She cried some more, until his contract ended. Her last lot of tears were signs of relief, for her son coming home in one piece.
I was pissed off when he told me, but it’s his life. I was pissed off because we all knew you may not come home at all and if you do you could come home whole, damaged or in a casket. But just as much as I want my brother to support everything that I do with my life, I had to be OK with his choice. I don’t know, though, what I would have done if he died because of his choice to join an army. Would all the movies about wars help me cope? I don’t think so.
I’ve never had the urge to join the army or police force, or any band of men and women who put their lives at risk for the sake of others. I may never understand why they do it, and how they cope with it while serving and after.
I will never understand why they leave their families and children to go on someone else’s soil into such dangerous environments where I assume they sleep with one eye open and a hand on their gun. While in their pockets they keep the photos of their loved ones so close to their hearts and just hope they can make it home to see their faces again.
There’s no doubt that they would still even miss those who annoy them the most or the mates whom they have to trust to keep an eye on their families. Missing is missing, no matter their personalities, because physical distance and signed contracts mean not seeing anyone until it’s time to go home.
We can assume and most of all we hope that their efforts do keep us from being nuked by our enemies. We will never know, because there are too many things in play. But there is a strong possibility that their presence as defenders and protectors do help keep our nation safe. So we thank them, and I thank them, for what they do. I just pray that some day soon, they all come home one way or another. That their mothers and fathers, their wives and their children, can spend time with them, hold them, kiss them, and even annoy the heck out of them.
War. It is what it is. The defence force. It exists and I’m pretty sure it’s not going anyway anytime soon. And no matter what any of us think about the war and whether our men and women should be fighting, the defence forces are here to stay. All we can do is support them. Someone’s got to protect us. I don’t want to, they do, they’re there so let’s support them. It is what it is.
For now.
What are you thankful for this ANZAC Day?
