If you’ve looked around lately, you’ve surely noticed that the world seems a bit troubled at the moment. And while it’s hard to know if it’s any more or less troubled than normal, the vibe certainly feels particularly heavy right now. And if you’re anything like us, you’re probably spending at least some time thinking about what you can/should do about it, which is a very difficult question to answer.
On one end of the spectrum, we could simply throw our hands up and just say, “the hell with it”. We could easily decide that the world’s problems are too big and too many for any of us to do much about it…so let’s just have some fun and let it burn.
On the other extreme, we could decide that we need to solve all of the world’s problems and not take a moment of rest until we do! We might feel like there is no time to waste - no time for fun or joy or humor or relaxation, because the fate of the world is upon our shoulders.
Clearly, there is a lot of room between the two ends of the spectrum, but finding the proper balance can be hard. How do we exist and participate in a world that needs so much work? How do we use our precious time on this earth to both make it a bit better AND enjoy our lives? This is a question that has been on our minds and we’re hearing from our partners too. We’ve heard it most often from our fellow military veterans. Those wired and trained for service can find it particularly tricky to manage this dynamic.
So this Veterans Day, we’re sharing some thoughts that we hope will provide you with some perspective and encouragement as you navigate life in a world that can feel a bit overwhelming at times. First, some perspective…
Armistice Day
Many of you may know this, but Veterans Day was originally introduced as Armistice Day. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (11/11/1918) marked the end of hostilities in WWI. Of course, back then it wasn’t called World War One, it was known as "The Great War" or by some as "The War to End All Wars". Looking back over the 100 or so years since, it is obvious that it was not the world to end all wars. Less than 20 years later, Europe and eventually the entire world was aflame with WWII. Then only five years later there was Korea. Then Vietnam…and on and on it goes.
Whether we like it or not, our history is marked with a continuous string of armed conflicts, and while we can all hope that this trend will change in the future, our history (and our current observations) suggest that likely isn’t the case. We think this is a big reason that we continue to revere and honor serving in the military and make a big deal out of Veterans Day…because while we can and should pray for peace, we know that war is a part of our lives.
Struggle and Progress
Wars are not the only challenges our nation has experienced over the past 100 years. While international conflicts provide notable marks on the timeline, we’ve had plenty of domestic struggles and many victories too. We’ve been constantly confronted with things that simply do not live up to our ideals. And in many cases, we’ve fought to reconcile and overcome them. From women's suffrage to the New Deal to Civil Rights to Technology, we've had to face our flaws, and try to find a better way. America is a complex and unique place. Our history is full of things for which we should be incredibly proud, and others for which we feel embarrassed, even ashamed. There is an inherent messiness that comes with the pursuit of big and great things. And it can be difficult to wrap our heads and hearts around this messiness, but we believe that we must. Because just as America has done over the past 250 years, we each strive, in our own way, to move forward, imperfect yet in earnest.
Our Choice
This complexity and inescapable messiness is what we are all faced with everyday in our own lives and careers - this dichotomy of what's broken and what's possible. We see it all around us, in ways both big and small. We can’t help but recognize so many ways in which the world seems beyond repair, but if we look closely, we can also see so much cause for hope. If I wake up early in the morning and read the news, I might be totally bummed out. But when I go get my little daughter out of bed and she asks for a snuggle, all seems to be right in the universe. It seems that things are not totally dark nor totally sunny, there is both, and we have to accept that.
If we truly care about making things better, we must be willing to acknowledge what we find wrong, ugly, and in need of change, AND we must be able to see the beauty and humanity and possibility in the world. Veterans, if anybody, can certainly appreciate this. We have seen the absolutely horrific things that people can do to one another AND we’ve experienced the astounding power of brother/sisterhood. We’ve watched unspeakable destruction AND we’ve witnessed unimaginable kindness in the midst of that destruction. So what do we do with all this? We can see it all, the good, the bad and the ugly - but what we choose to focus on is what will make all of the difference. We get to decide how we manage our limited resources. We get to choose whether we want to be totally disengaged, totally overwhelmed, or perhaps something more productive. We encourage you to find a healthy, middle path.
Some Encouragement
Our Veterans Day message to you is this. Whether you are a Veteran or not, here are some things that will help you to effectively navigate a world that is so full of both challenge and opportunity:
1. Stay in the Fight. Do not be discouraged or dissuaded or otherwise convinced that you do not matter or can't make a difference. You do and you can. We need you engaged. You can’t help if you don’t show up. When things seem tough. Just keep going. As we always said at Ranger School, you never quit at night. Just keep going till daylight and see that doesn’t help you stay with it.
2. Look it in the Eye. Don't be afraid to acknowledge challenges and difficulties in the world...or in your own life. There’s plenty we’d prefer not to see, but we can’t just look away. Accepting that something is wrong is the first step in addressing it. Just because something is wrong, doesn’t mean that everything is.
3. Do What You Can. Stay focused on what is within your control/influence. Don't be overwhelmed or distracted. Ounces make pounds and pennies make dollars. And small things don’t just add up, they compound! Progress can be slow, but will accelerate if we keep making deposits.
4. Do It Together. Veterans understand the power of teamwork and camaraderie. And we know that when we put the mission first (ahead of self, identity, background, etc.) we can accomplish great things. Do not go it alone! Lean on each other. Invite others to join. And if things do feel like too much, reach out, and get connected to help.
Bottom Line, We Need You!
We know that it is easy to look at your TV or laptop or phone and see all of the ways in which the world is struggling. It’s also easy to throw our hands up and convince ourselves that the problems are too big and too far away for us to do anything about them.
We don’t want you to look away from those things, but we also don’t want you to be consumed by them.
Whether it is across the globe, in Washington DC, down the street, or at your kitchen table - we want you to recognize the flaws and the possibilities. We want you to remember that your efforts will not be perfect…but that nothing done in earnest is ever done in vain. If we do that, we can continue to make our lives, communities, and the world a better place...together.
HAPPY VETERANS DAY!
