A hero. What does it take to become one? Doing the courageous thing? Daring to live your dream? Or the classic Black Hawk Down definition, "Nobody asks to be a hero. It just turns out that way." Like the guy in the picture, a lieutenant who flew into the hornet's nest, saw that some troops on the ground needed his help, and went in to knock out a couple of Japanese Zeroes. He flew to the rescue, twice, each time putting his life on the line, so that some other person could get away with his.
I'm seeing my inspiration in my own sergeant. He is truly the professional soldier, taking his job seriously and our training even more seriously. He's been to Iraq as part of Singapore's contribution to the reconstruction effort there. He has pride in his work, and takes the time and effort he deems necessary to get stuff done, right. Too bad we only get him for the first 3 months, and I'm probably shipping out anyway to be like Lieutenant Hanson.
I wonder if I'm truly ready to start the next phase of my life, ending years of study to exchange for another life, to be a pilot or a professional soldier. I'm sure about signing on, much to my parent's discomfort, because I believe in the mission of the SAF as not only to protect Singapore, but also as an extension of its diplomatic arm. Send me anywhere I need to be to make a difference, I don't want to be cooped in an office cubicle, like my sergeant likes to put it. I guess it's just a bit overwhelming to decide the rest of your life on a single form, signing off 12 years of my life to the armed forces. But it's been done by so many before me, and if I heard correctly, by too many these few years. Hope I get my chance to fly the Rafale / Eurofighter / Apache, top of the line. I don't mind being a high class taxi driver or lorry driver, but given a chance, I rather be thrown in a fighter and just set loose.
Heard the State of the Union a few mornings back, when the fever bug caught me and didn't let go. The ending of the speech caught me, political theatrics and all, "Each age is a dream that is dying, or one that is coming to birth. And we live in the country where the biggest dreams are born. The abolition of slavery was only a dream - until it was fulfilled. The liberation of Europe from fascism was only a dream - until it was achieved. The fall of imperial communism was only a dream - until, one day, it was accomplished. Our generation has dreams of its own, and we also go forward with confidence." I don't see my life as an age which is passing, I'm not that important, but what Bush has to say seems to have parallels to each person's life. One stage of life passes, no more schooling, but as it dies, another stage takes over, new dreams and aspirations. Will I grow out of this period, when the dream of making a difference dies out, replaced by other priorities like finding love or settling down, or will this dream grow on me?
I'm going to live my dream, but hey, it's not for me to decide where it takes me. It just turns out that way.
Don
No comments:
Post a Comment