Second Thoughts – Are We Brave Enough to Truly Honor our Veterans?

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

It seems to me that I cannot escape the feeling that we have betrayed the blood of our veterans.  Men and Women have volunteered to leave family and home to enter harm’s way for us.  They have died, been wounded, and suffered trauma that will last the remainder of their lives.  How have we repaid them?

We have VA agencies that give poor if not criminal medical treatment.  We allow this to come to light and there is not a consensus of outrage.  We do not demand justice for them and destroy the pollical or professional careers of those who caused and allowed it.

Thousands of our veterans are homeless and we ignore the plight as we pass them by to get our pumpkin spice lattes.  We ignore them as we cue for a show at the downtown theater.  We sent them into hell and reject them because they came back smelling of sulfur. 

They stood on the line for our freedom and we squander that freedom over political posturing and pride.  What we should be doing is uniting in that freedom to show them and every American they defended love, kindness, compassion, and respect.

There is no excuse for us to thank them for their service and fail to use our freedom to serve each other.  We have paid for the party with our dearest blood and we demand more whilst our leaders on every side waste what they have given.  I am ashamed of what is becoming of a nation that can be an example of truth and justice if it chooses.  Instead the lives of our veterans are poured out like water in the sand. 

We need to wake up.  We need to truly honor their continuing sacrifice by building a UNITED States.  We need to use the mighty force we have to let go of greed and grasp ideas like honor and character again.

I am thankful for every soul that put his or her life on the line for my freedom.  I love and respect them.  I will honor them by treating everyone with love and respect.  I will thank them by being generous and kind.  It has always been the common man or woman who can change things in our nation.  Why don’t we commemorate our veterans by taking back the nation they preserve for us with a heavy serving of self-sacrifice and care for everyone?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Second Thoughts – Facebook Famous

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

I saw a picture on my Facebook feed this week.  It was an adorable elderly lady holding a sign that read “I am 102 years old today.  Can I get Facebook Famous?”  I applaud her reaching my goal.   In fact, my goal is 102 years, six months, and twenty days.  That, however, is another story.

What troubles me here is the whole idea of being “Facebook Famous”.  Fame is one of those things that I see as attached to accomplishment.   I do not desire fame.  This is why I use a pen name.  Even if I become a bestselling author my desire is not to be known but to be lost in crowds. 

The idea of being Facebook Famous seems so fleeting.  It seems so unimportant.  What matters is what we do and not who sees it.  What is vital is that we accomplish things and not that we are famous for them.  We make celebrities out of those who are not deserving of celebration. 

Do not get me wrong.  I am impressed by the guy who can eat 72 hotdogs.  In the grand scheme of what matters, however, this does not matter.  I think it is great that the champion pumpkin pie eater can eat 46 pieces of pie.  This will not matter when we account for the good we did in the world. 

So tell me Dear Reader, what matters when it comes to fame.   I feel that like so many other things fame has lost its value as it is propagated throughout the world without merit.  I do not begrudge anyone recognition.  I just do not want recognition and acknowledgment to replace true earned fame and honor.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

On Truth – First Duty

Greetings Dear Reader,

A Starfleet Officer’s first duty is to the truth…

Our first duty is to the truth.  I think that so many of us believe this and have difficulty living it.  Integrity, honesty, and trust remain vital to our ability to function well as a society.  Yet it erodes around us continually. 

We seek the truth even when we believe there is no absolute truth.  It is not lost on me that saying there are no absolute truths is a contradiction.  There is truth.  There are vital and absolute truths. 

Since I proceed from the point that truth is a duty then my foundation is much more stable than when I call truth a convenience.  Some truth is very inconvenient.  Avoiding those inconvenient truths leads to great destruction.

If I do not pursue truth then I do not have anything to offer others that is of value.  It means that I must embrace the darkest parts of who I am in honest light.  It means that I must eradicate self-deception and denial of that which can free me. 

When I worship it must be in truth.  When I counsel or seek counsel I must do so in truth.  When the truth does not fit my preconceptions or designs then I must embrace the truth at any cost.  Pride will battle for me to deny. 

Jesus said that his is the truth.  If I hope to follow him then I must do so in truth.  The inconvenience will pass and the truth will remain.      

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

On Giving Thanks – Veterans

Greetings Dear Reader,

I hate war.  It is one of the few things I truly hate.  Were it in my power war would not exist, full stop.  Unfortunately it does.  People decide the values of others or wanting their possessions makes it allowable to kill them so we have wars.  This means that when the war ends we have veterans.

I hate war but I love our veterans.  I am thankful that there are men and women who are willing to risk it all so that I can safely sit in my Victorian office and write my books and musings.  I am thankful that I get to look them in the eye and express my gratitude.  My heart tightens and my eyes moisten when I ponder the good people who carry physical, mental, and emotional scars so that I can have this privilege.   

I am thankful and want every veteran to know that I am.  I care about your pain and sacrifice.  You are why I vote when I don’t feel like it.  You are why I cherish the freedom I have.  I love you and honor you.  I know we do not do enough for you. 

As I pray I ask God to heal you.  I ask him to bring you peace.  I ask him to provide for all your needs.  I get it that no one can really know until they have been you and I allow you that solitude.  All that you have done matters.  All that you have endured has value.  All that you have lost cannot be measured. 

What I am left with feels so inadequate but it is what I have.  I pause today to humbly say the only thing I can – THANK YOU.

Freedom Never Cries – Five For Fighting

I took a flag to a pawn shop

For a broken guitar

I took a flag to a pawn shop

How much is that guitar

I took a flag to a pawn shop

I Got me that guitar

What's a flag in a pawn shop to me?

I Saw a man on the TV

In a mask with a gun

A man on the TV

He had a ten-year old son

I Saw a man on the TV

His son had a gun

He says that he's coming for me

I never loved the soldier until there was a war

Or thought about tomorrow

'til my baby hit the floor

I only talk to God when somebody's about to die

I Never cherished Freedom

Freedom never cries.

I wrote a song for a dead man

To settle my soul

A song for a dead man

Now I'll never grow old

I wrote a song for a dead man

Now I'm out in the cold

What's a song to a dead man to me?

I never loved the soldier until there was a war

Or thought about tomorrow

'til my baby hit the floor

I only talk to God when somebody's about to die

I never cherished Freedom

Freedom never cries...

You can cry for her

Die for her

Lay down your life for her

Kiss and wave Goodbye to her

Anything at all

You can cry for her

Die for her

Make up your mind to her

Anything at all

There's a baby on the doorstep

Wailing away

There's a baby on the doorstep

Longing for the day

There's a baby on the doorstep

Who'd give his life to take

A flag to a pawn shop

A flag to a pawn shop

May he forget why he is crying some day

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)