Unbroken and Free

I'm currently reading a book entitled "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. It's an amazing tale of the life of Louie Zamparini....a world record breaking Olympian runner who became a WWII bombardier, on the infamous B12 and B13 bomber planes that flew over Japanese-held territories and wreaked much damage there. He eventually was in a crash when his plane went down, having suffered severe damage due to being shot at by the enemy. The plane crashed into the middle of the Pacific Ocean and only three men lived; only two, to tell the tale. They drifted aboard a raft in shark infested waters for some 2000 miles for a record breaking length of time for men to have survived such things. Eventually they were shot into the water and then taken captive by the Japanese, the book then goes on in horrible detail to describe the unimaginable conditions the men as POW's lived through as well as the unspeakable cruelty of and violence inflicted by their captors.

As the book went on for hundreds of pages describing the mental and physical torture these men endured, several things occurred to me:

1) is the unbelievable tenacity and bravery of the human spirit which these prisoners demonstrated to us all. Makes me think that I should never complain about my pain or discomfort again! And neither should I feel deprived in any way by any financial strictures I may have. These men had NOTHING....except their dignity ...and a sense of humor.

2) Humor?? Yes. it is one of most powerful forces that kept these men alive. The ability to pull practical "jokes" on their captors and to mock them among themselves and to their faces in an language the jailors did not understand was one of the few things that kept the morale of these men up to a degree that they did not all lose their minds , give up hope or commit suicide.

And I think, in any instance of suffering we need the very same things : tenacity and humor. We need the ability to stick with it, day after day, week after week, year after year if need be until God's Children look up and see that big cloud - which in this case will part instead of mushroom- and they know "the war is OVER." And if we can keep laughing...at ourselves, largely ...and maintain the ability to laugh then this is a great boost to our spirit and to those of the people around us.

And a 3rd thing occurred to me perhaps which is an aside: GRATITUDE for these men and for those who died in the attempt to maintain our freedom. I've never thought much about Veteran's Day before...and never understood what kind of scars, mental and physical, these men bear as they return stateside; what horrific memories they have and the nights of nightmares reliving the horror of those years. I think that it is pride that saves them...National Pride. Pride in the Freedom which is the trademark of this country, the USA. As Ms. Hillenbrand described the emotions and the celebration that the POW's experienced as the liberating B24's carried and dropped supplies and food to them after years of starvation and captivity....my heart swelled with pride for these heroes and for this country which produced them and others like them. As I read of the sense of well-being and forgiveness that the POW's showed to their captors after being freed, providing them with food and courtesy....I was awed. And Proud. It is typical of an American to respond with such a humane and yes, loving, manner to those who had brutally broken them in every conceivable way...but who could NOT break their spirits or their commitment to this great country.

To those among us who mock the USA...the snakes within her bosom...who are ignorant of the morals and the morale of these heroes; who disparage the foundation of faith upon which this great country is built; who try to defame and belittle the founders of this country and their faith...I would say: "You should be ashamed. Read this book. Compare the differences in the behavior of the captors and the captives...and know that pretty much across the board, this comparison will hold; that NO other culture is built upon such a humane and solid foundation of beliefs and behavior as are those in the USA.

Do you recall the feelings that swelled in your heart as you watched the Towers fall ...the tears that fell; the outrage for our nation - which was attacked without provocation? The feeling you got as you watched those firemen erect the tall wonderful image of the Stars and Stripes upon that crumbled heap of refuse ? The Pride.? The urge to Salute??"

I felt that same sense when in church on the Fourth of July, we stood --all of us--with our hands on our chests and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. I had not spoken those words for many years and I struggled not to cry as I did. These men; these heroes of war understood that pride. They understood the morality and faith that underlay their efforts to maintain freedom for us. And I pray sincerely that the US forces now understand that same thing. That they can fight with the determination and nobility of these men in Hillenbrand's book....that their suffering overseas should NOT lead them to sociopathic or psychopathic behavior...but that they will sit, in a free country at ripe old ages, with their grandchildren at their knees and tell them tales of bravery and survival with pride and not of shame.

This year I will be celebrating Veterans' Day...with more commitment than merely purchasing a red silk poppy ...I will be celebrating with enthusiasm and looking for ways to honor those who fell and those who fought for MY freedom.

God Bless America.