Heroes in the Sky, on the Ground, and travelling down the Highway

Today's Topic: War and The Fallen Soldier

For years, there are those who pay the ultimate price for freedom. In different circumstances, boys become men, girls become women and the everyday citizen becomes the everyday hero. It seems as though humanity resorts to violence by creating war and the world, as a whole, is always involved. Whether we see it as our duty to step in when something doesn't seem right or when psychopaths, corrupt governments are trying to be the rulers, there are those who stand up to the injustice of humanity and become a name, a tombstone, a hero. Fallen soldiers are a symbol of bravery, an individual who rises to the call no matter what the cost. And they a honored in the simplest of terms: hero. A parent loses a child, a wife loses her husband, a child loses a parent, a brother loses a sibling or a soldier loses a friend, we all at some point can relate to a fallen soldier and the pain that war brings.

It's very easy to bury your head in the sand when a war is going on across the world; I realize that. But whether you view it as a war on terrorism, a war against Al-Qaeda, a war in Afghanistan, a war of injustice, a war against humanity or even a pointless war, it's still happening. Is it happening for so many reasons? Or no reason at all? The stated aim of the original invasion was to find Osama Bin Laden, and other high-ranking Al-Qaeda members to be put on trial, to destroy the organization of Al-Qaeda, and to remove the Taliban regime which supported and gave safe harbor to it. The question is have we lost sight of what it is we were fighting for? And in the meantime, sacrificed countless of lives for an unjust cause?

Nine years in the making. Nine years and we still have only brushed the surface of this mission. Yes, our troops have made a difference. They have improved the quality of living for some and have helped the villages and towns in need. They have helped countries build a better life and helped release them from a terrorist stronghold. But at what cost? At the cost of so many innocent lives, so many innocent soldiers who feel like it is their duty to serve their country. With over 35 countries involved worldwide, the fight rages on. Day after day, week after week, year after year. I remember having grade 10 history and learning about the wars from year past, something that was a part of our heritage and remembered in the textbooks of schools across the country. I wonder with this war going on, will it ever be in the textbooks? Will my children learn about the War in Afghanistan? Will they be tested on Osama Bin Laden? Or is it already happening? Modern Warfare classes are already being taken yes, but at what point do we say "kids, you have to grasp the knowledge of the war that took place for ten years." Or will it be more than that? I'm sure the kids in kindergarten today will learn all about 9/11 and how this war began, but how far do they take it? The battle in Kandahar? The capture of Al-Qaeda leaders? I wonder who decides how much of this information is "relevant and important." What do we put in or leave out? How do we decide what is the most crucial to learn about? How do we describe to our children of tomorrow about the ones we lost in the battle?

It was not long ago that I had a moment when I was proud to be Canadian. I live a short drive for CFB Trenton, the place where repatriation ceremonies take place. Our fallen soldiers return here and are then driven down the highway of heroes to their final resting place. I was driving home from a long weekend as the sun was fading. When I looked up at the overhead bridges and passes along the 401, there they were. The mothers, the fathers, the sibling, the children and the rest of the family friends and Canadian citizens showing their respects for the heroes. I got chills. After every overpass and every flag. I felt such pride as a Canadian and thought, how kind we are to our soldiers and how respectful people are to those who have lost. Cars pulled over to the side of the highway, police and firefighters all helping salute the soldier we have lost; it was just incredible. The pictures don't do it justice. My words don't do it justice. You simply have to see it for yourself.

For a brief moment, I remembered how kind people can be to each other, how we can work together and how we can pay tribute. What a shame that you only hear and see these unselfish acts when it involves death. Both The Trews and Bob Reid made a song entitled "Highway of Heroes" honouring those we have lost and those who have supported them. It makes for a fitting tribute to the casualties of war and if you haven't heard either song, it's a song you have to download.

I know for days to come there will probably be more casualties and more bloodshed. I am thankful everyday that I can go to work without worrying about carrying a gun for protection or wearing an Armour suit for fear that I may be shot at. For some, they make that their daily job. Traveling into a dessert, a desolate town or village, a scorching hot building or invading mountainous terrain. These people do it because they are doing their job and their duty that their country asks of them. They do it so we can all carry on with OUR normal lives and not be held back with the inconvenience of carrying a grenade in our purse or a AK-47 in our car. To those who are serving or those who have lost a friend or family member, I say thank you. Thank you for paying a sacrifice into a war that sometimes seems ridiculous in present, but logical in theory. I know I can't do much, but I pay my respect by writing about your cause, and telling you that you are unspoken heroes to so many. It is my hope that as the years pass on, we remember those who fought in a war to protect the lives of so many. With the flags flying low and true patriot love, there is never enough we could do for you.

The Animals We Love

Today's Topic: Pets

I think it's safe to say that some people love animals more than they love humans. The only logical reasoning behind this is plain and simple: pets will never judge you. Your dog, your cat, your hamster, your fish, your horse (and yes even your cows)...you have next to complete control over their lives.

I think it would be safe to say that 99% of people in this world have cared for something other than a human being at some point in their life. What really amazes me is how pets control our life. There are so many different degrees of responsibility and roles that pets play in a day-in day-out routine. Some families look at a cat or dog, the two most common pets worldwide, as a member of the family. And why not? They can be around for years, and some feel closer to a pet than some of their friends. I'm not making that up, and yes, that is sad for us as the species Homo sapiens. We often tend to care more about our animals than our own species. And the money they cost...let's face it, pets can be very, very pricey. Dogs are often referred to as having a second kid. After food, shots, toys, grooming, etc etc etc...return on investment? 0% Unless you are breeding them to sell, then you are in a whole new ball game. Cats can be the same, horses even more so. But its all for love, right? The need to feel some sort of acceptance or compassion. So money is usually not the issue with pets.

We always remember our "first" of everything, and the "first" pet is no exception. I want you to take a minute and think back to your very first pet. Something low maintenance probably, and something that you could maybe forget to feed for a few days. A goldfish (maybe even the one you won in a plastic bag in a ring toss game at the fair), a rabbit or even a gerbil. Think of the care and the love you probably gave it. The happiness and pride you must have took in "owning" something. My parents would never leave me with full responsibility for an animal (which was probably the right call) But for me, my first real pet was an exotic one. A pet duck named Fluffy. A little ball of fuzzy fur and a pet that I could call my own. He was just a baby duck when I got him at the age of 4. I thought I was on top of the world with this duck and to top it off, we were a team. The local Belleville Fair had a pet show that same year and Fluffy and I were entered. The competition was heavy (of course) as dozens of parents wanted to show off to the world how cute they thought there child was with their pet. The biggest challenge in the pet show was that you had to have something unique with your animal. My duck did a trick.

For two weeks, I trained Fluffy the duck to slowly waddle up a small ramp, stand at the top, and jump into a pool of water below. Yes folks, I was melting hearts. I remember it so vividly... practicing in the back room of my house with Fluffy, training him to walk up the ramp and jump into a pool of water, and hopefully even making a "quack" on the landing. When the competition day rolled around, Fluffy did his thing. Performed with grace, wowed the audience and smiles were a glow. A 4 year old kid had trained his pet duck to do a simple trick. It earned me Reserve Grand Champion Pet that year in 1991 and I can proudly say that I still have the trophy in my house to this day. In fact, I am looking at it as we speak. I lost out to a rat of some sort...not sure why but I did anyway. To be perfectly honest, it didn't matter. I still had to give an acceptance speech when I received my award at the year end banquet. A convincing 4-year-old approached the microphone and gave a subtle two word speech: "Thank you" to the cheering audience. Instant classic.

I wish I could tell you that Fluffy and I had many, long and happy days together; but sadly, like so many pet stories, the story ends in tragedy. After a winning performance, Fluffy left to stay with my Uncle Doug until we could build a bigger cage for him. Mistake number one. I asked my parents every day when Fluffy was coming back. Mistake number two. It was weeks later that they sat me down and told me that Fluffy flew away. Mistake number three. I found out from my siblings that a wolf broke into my Uncle Doug's duck shed and "cleaned out" the whole flock. I cried for days. And weeks.

When we lose something we love, we hurt. Animals become life friends; moments in time for happiness and love. I think it's the compassion that we love so much. That no matter what, we can play with our cat, watch our dog chase birds, and in my case, milk a cow or perform a trick for an audience. I think it's the "hands on" that makes us suckers for animals. When we see something cute, we just want to pet it, love it and show them that they can have a place to call home and be cared for. Pets can be hobby or a business. They can make us money or just make us memories. We can ride them, take them for a car ride, walk them, show them, and even make them do tricks. Dogs are friendly, cats are playful, rabbits are cute, horses are graceful and cows are smart. Reptiles are exotic and are always a topic of conversation and even sheep, pigs or lambs make their way into the pet circle.

Animals truly are amazing creatures. People often forget that animals have so much personality and oh, the stories they could tell if they could speak. Animation studios have made us believe anything is possible with the movies they push out every year, bringing animals to life and giving them a persona; and we love them for it. They give kids something to be excited for and they give parents a simple break from the daily grind.

Remember that simple interaction between animals and humans will always exist, in our homes and in nature. The moments we share with our pets may not always be free, but the moments and memories that they engrave in our heads last a lifetime. And if you can't help but feel just a bit of love for any sort of baby animal or they can't make you smile just once in your life, then you are not human. Yes, nothing lasts forever and that includes pets. Many will come and go from our lives, but it's the caring stages we go through that teach us life lessons. It's the puppy face moments and the cat chasing it's tail that gives us years of laughter. These things are unique to every one of us and are irreplacable.

The possibilities for a pet are endless. So if you haven't had a pet in awhile, take and chance and soak it all in. And if you already have a pet, really look at your animal and wonder in the magnificent magic of a brain other than that of a human. After all, you could stare at it all day, and it will never yell back or judge you. If that's not some sort of love, I don't know what is.

A real eye opener-- no pun intended

Today's topic: Personal injuries and the bigger picture

For those out there reading SS this week who don't already know, I was struck with a nasty body injury this week. I want to put you in the drivers seat here and give you the black and white of what actually happened and what went through my mind when it did happen. I play in a fairly competitive baseball league with some of my best friends and we are in our playoffs right now. I was playing third base with two outs in the top of the ninth. I need you to keep in mind that the field we play on has relatively good up-keep but has a deep history of producing some nasty injuries throughout the years. The ball that hit me in the face came off a bat on a play that I would make 90% of the time. After taking an ugly bounce, the ball took a bounce over my glove, and hit me where, what felt like, directly on my eye. For those of you who have had a sports injury, you know that you don't have time to react because many sports involve some sort of high velocity object coming towards your body at some point during the game. And when something goes wrong, you have no control over what happens next. My initial reaction was to try and open my eye (which I couldn't) and I instantly thought the worst in thinking, "I just lost eyesight in my left eye." It's pretty serious stuff people. I know as humans, our initial reaction is concern. Our next initial reaction for most is to gawk at the injury or maybe to smile, giggle or make a smart ass comment...of course, one you know the person is alright. I was bartending this weekend so trust me when I say there isn't an eye joke I haven't heard or a smart ass comment that I haven't received. I'm a good sport about it because that's the kind of person I am. The other thing I realize is that people CAN joke about it because I can still function and even though I have a nasty shiner and 12 stitches above my eyebrow, my injury isn't life threatening and by this time next week, my body will hopefully be back to normal; whatever normal means.

However, there is a much deeper lesson learned from a personal injury like the one I'm currently experiencing. I woke up the next morning and my eye was swollen shut from the impact of the previous night. As my day progressed, I realized how much we take our five senses for granted. You wake up every morning after a night of sleep and expect that both of your eyes will open. Now think about waking up and not being able to open up one eye. Now think about not being able to open up two eyes. Now consider the possibility that you go to sleep one night and you wake up the next morning only to find out that you're blind. Or deaf. Or you can't smell. Or your arms and legs don't work. Yes, it's terrifying. Now consider what you wouldn't be able to do or how much your world closes on you.

Some are blessed and never lose their senses until they are already dead. They wake up and go to bed without the worry about how they are going to function the next day or how they are going to get through their daily routine. They are the lucky ones. Others who aren't so fortunate battle with a routine that limits their possibilities and what they can accomplish. Some never see the glorious natural wonders of the world, the sight of love, fear or happiness. Others never get the chance to smell the roses or be a part of a team that requires body movements. To me, that is a life tragedy and there is nothing funny about a person in a wheelchair, a walking stick or hearing aids. I went on a hike last week with my girlfriend and was in awe of all the magnificent larger than life trees, natural rock caves and enormous limestone structures. At the end of the hike, I thought to myself how lucky I was to soak in the natural world with all my senses. This week, I almost lost some of my eyesight. Yes people, that's how fast life changes.

Now without trying to sound too much like I'm preaching, just remember that life does have curve balls (I'm sorry I couldn't resist a baseball reference). But we choose to take on challenges without hesitation that is usually dependent on our comfort level. However, remember that most are fortunate enough to have that choice and that in itself is something that you must never take for granted. Even though we all lead different lives, there is at least one person somewhere that wishes they were you, young or old. You don't always know it and you might not even ever hear it. But we have all at one point said to ourselves, " I wonder what it's like to be....." or "I wish I could be...." Be blessed that you're happy, healthy and hopefully, still have all your senses because without one of those things, your daily routine wouldn't be pulled off with such ease and grace. Take it from a guy who was recently blind in one of his eyes; life becomes way more difficult. You don't realize what "sucks" until you have an eye opener experience.

Buying to be beautiful, buying to fit in

Today's Topic: Product Consumption

I was watching some T.V. today (which next to reading Sunday Sitdowns is the most relaxing thing to do on a Sunday) and for the first time in awhile, I actually really started to analyze the advertisements on the big screen. I remember in my first year of University, I had this Mass Communications course where my professor used to harp on us saying, "Because you're in the media now, you have to analyze everything. Trust no one and question everything." To me, that meant analyzing head to toe every advertisement, every billboard, every magazine, every paper and every commercial; and finding new things to analyze again and again every time you looked at them. The goal of the advertisement is simple. Garner your attention for a few seconds, sell an idea, sell a product, make money, make more powerful advertisements, create an empire. That is really the black and white of every company. It's power. It's how Pepsi, Old Spice, L'óreal, Viagra, and yes, even Gillette razor blades made their mark on we the people. Taking hair off your body with razor blades...is it just me, or does something about that just sound wrong?

First off, I don't want to sound like a broken record talking about consumerism. So this is not what this post is entirely about. I will do my best to provide some insight and perhaps spark a discussion you haven't explored before. The idea behind this post is not to necessarily complain about the world we live in but to look at the pattern we follow and the path we take to a wished upon "better" lifestyle.

Okay, so we are all guilty of consuming. For example, I buy the beer that has the best commercials. If you can make me laugh in 30 seconds or make me say "Man, that is so true." Congratulations, you just made a sale. However, I find it interesting just what products are geared towards which audience.

For the females, its a constant barrage of makeup commercials on television. How to be more beautiful, how to decrease wrinkles, how to cover up your grey hair, how to have shiny hair and how to have longer eyelashes. Oh yes, a commercial tries to convince their audience that every single one of their prospective female buyers is ugly. I think that most women just don't pay attention at first. But watch the same commercial long enough, and tell me, do you actually start to believe it? And not even watch it, but end with a catch line that grabs your full attention like, "because you're worth it." So now its justified? Clever, clever, clever.

For the males, it's always the about the bod. The bow flex, the Viagra, the Gatorade, the Old Spice and the muscle enhancers. Make the ladies gawk at your six pack and go-all-night attitude. Drink the fluids to replace all that energy you spent. Smell great. Feel strong. Are men that in doubt of themselves? Do we really need to be reassured that we are still men and king of the domain? Are we really? Abs are sexy? Smelling like "ocean reef" is sexy? Says who?

Now only being 23, I have a very difficult time understanding just AT WHAT POINT in our existence did people start believing we need ALL OF THIS CRAP? And by crap I mean the pills, the makeup, the body wash INSTEAD of the soap bar, the salad instead of the fries, the longer eyelashes. It's a madhouse. I just envision all of these people in a carnival fun house yelling at the top of their lungs why you need these products and giving you a sales pitch. Does it matter if we are overweight? What if advertisements started saying "People, you are too thin, eat more. Don't exercise. Who cares what you smell like." Would we listen? Would we give in? And perhaps most interesting...would we believe them?

It sickens me that there is no escape unless I jump on a plane and travel to a dessert. Is that why nature is so peaceful, because animals don't judge you? It that why everyone loves the summer and the cottage? The water, the boats, the fish...they don't judge you? It has to be the answer.

I remember that same professor in first year university telling us that we didn't need soap and shampoo. At first everyone was like, "Mark, are you serious? Then everyone would have serious B.O. and that would not be cool! We need soap to smell good." To which he replied: "What if you grew up in a society that never bathed? What if when you turned on the TV or walked out your door, you didn't even know what soap was? What is EVERYONE just had a natural smell? Would you still think, that person has B.O.? Would you know the difference between what soap and body odour smelt like if you never even knew what soap was?" And he was totally right. That's genius. And then it's like, I can't stop buying it though, because I don't want to be that smelly guy. And no one does. Not ever. And that sucks that I can't be a smelly guy because I would save SO MUCH MONEY. And it would be one less thing to worry about. More money in my pocket. The same goes for makeup! Ladies, imagine if you didn't have to buy it or wear it to make yourself feel beautiful. Imagine growing up in a place that didn't have any of that.

That's why I think we, as a western society, have it completely backwards. We are drones to these people that tell us to buy the soap and the makeup and the hair dye and the razor blades (so ridiculously expensive!) and the ETC, ETC, ETC. I think as horrible as the living conditions are in third world countries, they still live in happiness without the consuming fear that we all have. We consume to feel comfortable. They consume to live.

I know this post or this blog isn't going to change the world. I know that. I just want to put into perspective the life that we lead and if WE as a species on this earth made the right decisions by telling people they needed all this crap to survive and feel good. Consuming is not a disease, it's a habit. An idea that we bought into. An idea to feel like we are the best. Honestly, how far ahead did we get? Are we just that in love with ourselves?

Many of these questions are rhetorical because I don't know if there is a right answer. But some of them are a matter of opinion. Do we consume the wrong things to feel good? I just wonder if this whole idea of buying into the product game is considered the right thing for all of us.

That's all for this week folks. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go take shower. I don't want to smell tomorrow. Thank goodness for that new "dove for men."