Sunday, July 31, 2011

With A Lump In My Throat And Tears On My Cheeks.

Say whatever you want, but I can admit -without shame, that I cannot watch Saving Private Ryan without finding myself moved to tears at the end. There is just something inherently moving by the story itself and the sense of duty and pride it speaks to of another generation.

An yet here we sat, with exactly that generation that fought and did their duty facing a cold shoulder. Granted I am no veteran, despite desires to the contrary, nor am I senior citizen who has paid their dues for several decades. I am simply a 29 year old man, with a wife and 4 kids who found himself stripped of the ability to provide. I plaid the game by the book, fought to make it through college and got good grades. Sacrificed countless hours of quality time and rest to work 2 jobs and maintain above allowed maximum class hours to graduate. Then I launched myself into any job I could with the diligence I was always encouraged to do so with. I busted my ass for years and set myself to the task expecting to keep towing the same line fore a long time. I never planned to be unable to work or provide for my family, never even got a retirement plan set up even.

For years I had to juggle and struggle to keep us afloat before I managed to get approved for social security. It's always bugged me cause I never thought of myself as someone who deserved it, only to realize the cold shock of reality: without it my kids would suffer. I don't receive a small fortune, I don't even live at the poverty level. We've managed to make it work for us enough that we get by, but rarely have much(if any) money left after expenses each month. Not to mention being able to take care of many things we desperately need to. But I've never really complained, I am not even complaining now, without the help we wouldn't even be able to stay afloat at all.

But now I find myself watching all those in power bickering like snotty children. Those ideals, the honor and duty that our predecessors brought to the table seems lost. Those who fought to get us where we are along with all those who our politicians were elected to safeguard/care for have been spat on. What happened? Why is it that our elected officials came to argue in our darkest hour instead of do their jobs? Especially when their first act could of been one of faith and solidarity by offer to cut/donate of their own pay. Do they not realize the image they paint to their voters? I dare wager most won't see another term.

At one time when we tried to save the per-verbal private ryan, he would of stuck to his duty before allowing himself to be sent home. Our officials somehow missed those character building lessons. And as such, have lost the faith of a lot of the American people. There is always a way, you just have to knuckle down and be willing to act on it, not to mention be willing to see it. I pray our government does so, and soon. Cause right now, I live in fear.

1 comment:

  1. I appreciate your thoughts. I've seen your situation, I've seen you struggle to make ends meet, I've seen you stress. I've watched things get worse, and harder, and crazier.

    But as much as I agree with the sentiment behind this post, I must disagree with your words.

    You, much like Washington, must understand that not only are there multiple ways to solve this problem, but that many of the pitfalls we fall prey to along the way could be avoided, averted, or thwarted by a different view of the situation.

    Your problems are a microcosm of the greater issue at hand in Washington right now. Not in the literal sense of credit and debt, but in the way in which money, its acquisition, and its spending are approached.

    If we don't like our shot in billiards, we don't cry foul against the balls; we change the angle of our shot. So, too, must we learn to evaluate our issues in new ways in order to solve them, instead of relying on mysterious benefactors to fix our problems when we complain.

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