Great piece. I think this sort of appreciation goes hand-in-hand with humor in our darkest moments. As life slides out of control we can savor the little pleasures and absurdity of the whole thing.
So true Andrew. Sick as it sounds, it always helped to find some humor when the shit hit the fan. Though it sounds like that’s an insane reaction, it actually helps prevent insanity.
Sam: This one flowed today; you shared a moment of appreciation, of savoring the watermelon, valuing both the simplicity and the grandeur of that experience.
Sam, you brought an example of the ultimate experience of absence of food (hunger) with an additional ingredient of war (live or die). My grandfather and father described similar appreciation of food during WW1 and 2 other than eating old army crackers that required water or piss to break. Examples like yours and what I heard need to be told to the young ones. Some of it rubs off. The other day I heard another one from a released hostage (young female Israeli female soldier) who was given sea water to drink. Add torture to war!
This is the truth Barry, I wish I could have heard their stories as well. A little hardship reframes our relationship with food in the best way. Thank you for the comment.
Great article again. I would add that I think a little hardship reframes our relationship to most everything. At least for me, the actual loss of a loved one, for example, or the perceived loss of someone or something, has brought about significant change for me
I appreciate it, Tom, and I agree completely. As hard as it is to bear, these are the situations that make us slow down, soak in life, and rethink our posture towards those we care for.
"I believe it is possible to reverse engineer a combat mode of mind, which is in fact a Stoic mode of mind, and which is, in the end, an ancestral mode of mind."
I really appreciate the way you end this. It’s one thing to have lived at once so alive, another to remember it and imbue the rest of our lives with that same richness. Thanks for sharing.
Wow. A year ago; I clicked on this piece remembering it vividly. Coincidently I just realized it coincided(and coincides) with the birthday of one of my nieces. I smiled, appreciating her day and the fact that I just ate leftovers from a dinner I helped prepare last evening. I too feel as if I’m sitting on a throne in a palace!
Love this Sam. Fatalism gets a bad rap, and for good reason as it often manifests into whiny laziness and inaction. Your understanding of the joy that lies within any sacrifice and the knowledge of how suffering clears the mind always lead to beautiful and poignant essays. Thanks my friend 💕.
Sam- This essay spoke to me (as usual). I am reminded of some archive videos of WW2 soldiers bombing down Tuckerman's Ravine, straightening it on wooden skis, minimal gear, then bailing, cartwheeling, and then looking up upon recovery and smiling for the camera. They had returned from war, and I imagine them thinking, "Skiing down a mountain? This is easy. That crash? What is there to be scared of? This is great! It's sunny out, and I'm alive!"
Contrast this to the excess gear of a spring crowd on Mt. Washington today and its indeed a different spirit; I'm sure there are "in-between moments," but the granular appreciation for the moment and the societal/historical/political factors that allow this recreating to exist, likely isn't there. My inclination is: eat the watermelon, ski the hill, watch TV, and eat the caviar--but do so knowing and appreciating the historical framework allowing us to do so (from the vantage of both personal struggle and the global moment).
As you've articulated previously, acquiring that appreciation is now quite challenging, especially for the younger generation.
Well said, Jesse. That balance of a more ancient minded awareness and appreciation coupled with the modern luxuries in the broader historical context is everything. The art of teaching this to the next generation is something that is, I think, completely novel. I look forward to reading more of your work on this subject.
Thank you very much for the thoughtful comment, it is my pleasure.
I have never had C rats, but your optimism about a steel helmet and a can of chicken is the sort of contentedness in hard times that I miss most about the military.
Great piece. I think this sort of appreciation goes hand-in-hand with humor in our darkest moments. As life slides out of control we can savor the little pleasures and absurdity of the whole thing.
100%. I appreciate it Andrew.
So true Andrew. Sick as it sounds, it always helped to find some humor when the shit hit the fan. Though it sounds like that’s an insane reaction, it actually helps prevent insanity.
Agreed.
Sam: This one flowed today; you shared a moment of appreciation, of savoring the watermelon, valuing both the simplicity and the grandeur of that experience.
A grew way to describe this piece; such a powerful flow. Well done Sam, really powerful.
Thank you, Dan!
I appreciate it Tim.
Sam, you brought an example of the ultimate experience of absence of food (hunger) with an additional ingredient of war (live or die). My grandfather and father described similar appreciation of food during WW1 and 2 other than eating old army crackers that required water or piss to break. Examples like yours and what I heard need to be told to the young ones. Some of it rubs off. The other day I heard another one from a released hostage (young female Israeli female soldier) who was given sea water to drink. Add torture to war!
This is the truth Barry, I wish I could have heard their stories as well. A little hardship reframes our relationship with food in the best way. Thank you for the comment.
Great article again. I would add that I think a little hardship reframes our relationship to most everything. At least for me, the actual loss of a loved one, for example, or the perceived loss of someone or something, has brought about significant change for me
I appreciate it, Tom, and I agree completely. As hard as it is to bear, these are the situations that make us slow down, soak in life, and rethink our posture towards those we care for.
"I believe it is possible to reverse engineer a combat mode of mind, which is in fact a Stoic mode of mind, and which is, in the end, an ancestral mode of mind."
Excellent! 👏
Thank you Baird!
I really appreciate the way you end this. It’s one thing to have lived at once so alive, another to remember it and imbue the rest of our lives with that same richness. Thanks for sharing.
Well said Latham. That is precisely what makes this such a good fight. I appreciate the comment.
I'm not even a fan of watermelon, but I found myself tasting it as I read, and it was glorious.
That’s hilarious. Thank you for reading!
Wow. A year ago; I clicked on this piece remembering it vividly. Coincidently I just realized it coincided(and coincides) with the birthday of one of my nieces. I smiled, appreciating her day and the fact that I just ate leftovers from a dinner I helped prepare last evening. I too feel as if I’m sitting on a throne in a palace!
Simply epic—that is positive fatalism at its best.
Great piece. I loved MREs in Vietnam. We got c rations in Vietnam that were produced during the Korean war. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Those well-aged C rations must have been delicious beyond measure...
The eggs with ham, hmmmm. 🤮Surprisingly the rolls were decent and the spaghetti with meat balls awesome.
Love this Sam. Fatalism gets a bad rap, and for good reason as it often manifests into whiny laziness and inaction. Your understanding of the joy that lies within any sacrifice and the knowledge of how suffering clears the mind always lead to beautiful and poignant essays. Thanks my friend 💕.
You’re more than welcome, Asperges. Thank you for the illuminating thoughts as always.
Thanks again, Sam.
You’re more than welcome.
Sam- This essay spoke to me (as usual). I am reminded of some archive videos of WW2 soldiers bombing down Tuckerman's Ravine, straightening it on wooden skis, minimal gear, then bailing, cartwheeling, and then looking up upon recovery and smiling for the camera. They had returned from war, and I imagine them thinking, "Skiing down a mountain? This is easy. That crash? What is there to be scared of? This is great! It's sunny out, and I'm alive!"
Contrast this to the excess gear of a spring crowd on Mt. Washington today and its indeed a different spirit; I'm sure there are "in-between moments," but the granular appreciation for the moment and the societal/historical/political factors that allow this recreating to exist, likely isn't there. My inclination is: eat the watermelon, ski the hill, watch TV, and eat the caviar--but do so knowing and appreciating the historical framework allowing us to do so (from the vantage of both personal struggle and the global moment).
As you've articulated previously, acquiring that appreciation is now quite challenging, especially for the younger generation.
Well said, Jesse. That balance of a more ancient minded awareness and appreciation coupled with the modern luxuries in the broader historical context is everything. The art of teaching this to the next generation is something that is, I think, completely novel. I look forward to reading more of your work on this subject.
A great lesson, well told. And that photo puts it into context. Thank you!
You're more than welcome John, I'm grateful you enjoyed it.
Great stuff, Sam.
Thank you Lou!
Thank you very much for the thoughtful comment, it is my pleasure.
I have never had C rats, but your optimism about a steel helmet and a can of chicken is the sort of contentedness in hard times that I miss most about the military.