Granted, Carol was a nurse in the military, not a warrior. Still, I was moved by her description of attending to the wounded – on both sides of the conflict. Not the kind of image favored by today’s media and Administration: the image focused on the appearance of “strength.” On ferocity. Lethality. Fearsomeness. What a welcome breath of fresh air.
In less than an hour, I heard Carol speak of a kinder aspect of “the military,” and I heard about a soldier dying of poison gas on the killing fields of World War I in 1918. A story told by that soldier’s son who was only a tiny child at the time. Things military have to deal with Life and Death. Too often we forget the Life part.
I’m lucky to have had these interviews taped. Thanks to Bob Hercules for the assist. Usually, What’s It Like to be You? is not recorded, in order to create a space where people feel free to let it all hang out, to be real, to be open to revealing themselves without eternally internally editing their every word. I had the great pleasure and privilege of conducting one such session at The Cliff Dwellers Club a week ago in Chicago. Could this kind of thing work at your club, your workplace, your home? A few of you will see what I’m hinting at. Let’s talk about it.
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