When I was a nineteen year old young man, I was drafted in the army during the “Korean Conflict” (not war, but conflict, as it was called). It has sometimes crossed my mind that I could have been sent to Korea and to the front lines or “The War Zone.”
And, in that case, there may have been a chance that I would not have come back home. I would not have met my wife and been blessed with a family of wonderful loving children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. But I was not sent to Korea; I was not on the front lines or the War Zone. I was not a victim of war or even conflict. I happened to have been blessed with “stateside” duty, where I was fortunate to be stationed in the “then beautiful city” of San Francisco, California. The words “could have” popped in and out of my mind a thousand times. Things “could have” been different. I may have been one of the thousands of young men who never came back home, never had an opportunity to be blessed, as I am, with a wonderful wife to share life with and a brood of children to make things interesting. My only legacy may have been that “he was killed in action,” and his parents visit his grave on Memorial Day annually. When I think of the young men, those as was I, who never came home, it causes me to become very emotional. What courage, what a sense of responsibility to their country to be willing to die for it. John Wayne said that “Courage is being scared to death…and saddling up anyway.” My duty was comfortable duty, safe duty, but I know in my heart that had it been my lot to have been sent to Korea and to the front, I know that I too would have gone with courage and determination to fight knowing the possible outcomes. The following was written by an unknown author. The only thing that is sure, is that it was not written by Jane Fonda.
“When we consider all the millions of veterans who have fought or at least were enlisted in a confrontation between nations, they have demonstrated a great deal of courage. They may not have been aware of their commitment when they signed the bottom line but: A veteran—whether active duty, retired, National Guard or reserve—is someone who, at one time in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to the “United States of America,” for an amount of “up to and including my life.” That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.” (Anon)
Though I feel blessed to have survived the Korean Conflict, I feel deeply saddened for the thousands who did not.
Some time ago I read an interesting story about a butterfly who was willing to give his life to protect his ailing and fallen mate. I was so impressed as I came to realize that it is not just humans who have a sense of protecting care for those we love, as well as the courage to protect with their own lives if necessary. This kind of courage came from the most unusual and unsuspecting creature, a little and fragile butterfly. The author of the story, called “Butterfly Courage,” wrote as follows: “Walking down a path through some woods in Georgia in 1977, I saw a water puddle ahead on the path. I angled my direction to go around it on the part of the path that wasn’t covered by water and mud. As I reached the puddle, I was suddenly attacked!
Yet, I did nothing, for the attack was so unpredictable and from a source so totally unexpected. I was startled as well as unhurt, despite having been struck four or five times already. I backed up a foot and my attacker stopped attacking me. Instead of attacking more, he hovered in the air on graceful butterfly wings in front of me. Had I been hurt, I wouldn’t have found it amusing, but I was unhurt. It was funny, and I was laughing. After all, I was being attacked by a butterfly!
Having stopped laughing, I took a step forward. My attacker rushed me again. He rammed me in the chest with his head and body, striking me over and over again with all his might, still to no avail. For a second time, I retreated a step while my attacker relented in his attack.
Yet again, I tried moving forward. My attacker charged me again. I was rammed in the chest over and over again. I wasn’t sure what to do, other than to retreat a third time, after all, it’s just not everyday that one is attacked by a butterfly. This time, though, I stepped back several paces to look the situation over. My attacker moved back as well to land on the ground. That’s when I discovered why my attacker was charging me only moments earlier.
He had a mate, and she was dying. She was beside the puddle where he landed. Sitting close beside her, he opened and closed his wings as if to fan her. I could only admire the love and courage of that butterfly in his concern for his mate. He had taken it upon himself to attack me for his mate’s sake, even though she was clearly dying, and I was so large. He did so just to give her those extra few precious moments of life, should I have been careless enough to step on her.
Now I knew why and what he was fighting for. There was really only one option left for me. I carefully made my way around the puddle to the other side of the path, though it was only inches wide and extremely muddy. His courage in attacking something thousands of times larger and heavier than himself, just for his mate’s safety, justified it. I couldn’t do anything other than reward him by walking on the more difficult side of the puddle. He had truly earned those moments to be with her, undisturbed. I left them in peace for those last few moments, cleaning the mud from my boots when I later reached my car.
Since then, I’ve always tried to remember the courage of that butterfly whenever I see huge obstacles facing me. I use that butterfly’s courage as an inspiration and to remind myself that good things are worth fighting for. (Copyright 1997 Dave Kuzminski)
Young men and women who are called to serve when our nation is in peril are strong, and many, I’m sure, even feel invincible. They, like the butterfly, are willing to take on the enemy regardless of their size and capability. They are courageous and they become giant like in their willingness and determination to return victorious. I believe it is true that “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” (Anais NinQu) God bless America and her courageous young protectors.