Last week my blog pal Pam asked a really significant question in the comments for my post commemorating the passing of Frank Buckles. I answered briefly in comments, but after consideration, I thought that the issue Pam raised deserved a full post.
Mr Buckles lied about his age and joined the army when he was just 16 so he could fight for his country in World War I. Pam's question was, "Can you imagine any 16 year old in today's society doing something like this man did?"
My answer is that I believe there is honor in the act of service, not just the type of service. And yes, I can imagine a 16 year old in today's society trying to follow Frank Buckles' example. I do think there are 16 year old kids who would willingly sacrifice something of themselves to do service for their fellow citizens.
In fact, I believe it strongly. I believe it because I believe in the positive. I believe in the power of hope. I believe that our compassionate natures can overcome our hostile natures.
In every society, and in every generation, I believe you'll find young men and women who put others above self. Military academies are full of them. You'll find young people volunteering at food banks and with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity.
That's my idealism...imagining the world as I think it can be, and believing there is a way to make it that way, and that there are people of like mind who will work to achieve it.
I know there are more people like me. We don't make a loud noise, so sometimes it seems a more bleak world. But we're out here and we're doing the work. It isn't sexy work and it doesn't get a lot of focus on the news. It takes a lot of time, and most people who volunteer don't have any extra time to go out and make spectacles to catch the eye of the media.
But believe in it. Never doubt that there are people out there in service to the less fortunate. And there are a lot of young people among them.
Would a 16 year old from today's society sacrifice his youth, lie about his age, defy his parents, and join the military so he could fight for what he believed in? Yes, I think such a young person can be found. It would be a lot harder to do today, given the level of technology. But a determined young man or woman would try.
It's about service and selflessness. It doesn't seem like those things are values in today's society. I believe they are. Despite some of the bleak perspectives you find in the news, I believe in hope.
More importantly, I believe that there is honor in service. And if I believe that, then the law of large numbers ensures that there are a lot more people like me who believe it as well.
Hope. Idealism. Service.
Those are not quaint words. Those are not anachronistic customs.
Those are powerful words. And since I believe that words have power, those words and the deeds they encourage matter.
