http://www.thedarkglass.net/2006/02/09/haunted-by-a-band-of-brothers/ trying to nail down the shifting signifiers Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:52:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://www.thedarkglass.net/2006/02/09/haunted-by-a-band-of-brothers/#comment-44 Administrator Tue, 14 Feb 2006 21:26:33 +0000 http://anthony.poshcoffee.com/?p=32#comment-44 Sam, thanks for your response. The quest for nobility has been a recurring idea for me, one that touches some deep paths in my heart. A word that comes to me in times of prayer is that God has called us to be "Free Lords of creation". A reality of course that can only be realized in the grace of God. Once I finished writing and posting this blog I was struck by my own confession that "I had never really been called to lay down my life for a greater cause." Being a Christian, I realize that Christ's call to follow him is a call to lay down my life, which is the path of nobility. I suppose in some measure I have done this, but honestly I am often daunted by how deeply self oriented I still am. It seems to me that a crisis such as war provides the external circumstances to help stay focused on what is of true value, and not to get distracted by the luxeries of middle class, American existence, distractions that I readily succumb to. In the end, however, I realize that this is a matter more of the heart than of circumstance. But it's hard not to entertain the notion that I might have been a different and better person if I had faced adversity such as my father did. Sam, thanks for your response. The quest for nobility has been a recurring idea for me, one that touches some deep paths in my heart. A word that comes to me in times of prayer is that God has called us to be “Free Lords of creation”. A reality of course that can only be realized in the grace of God. Once I finished writing and posting this blog I was struck by my own confession that “I had never really been called to lay down my life for a greater cause.” Being a Christian, I realize that Christ’s call to follow him is a call to lay down my life, which is the path of nobility. I suppose in some measure I have done this, but honestly I am often daunted by how deeply self oriented I still am. It seems to me that a crisis such as war provides the external circumstances to help stay focused on what is of true value, and not to get distracted by the luxeries of middle class, American existence, distractions that I readily succumb to. In the end, however, I realize that this is a matter more of the heart than of circumstance. But it’s hard not to entertain the notion that I might have been a different and better person if I had faced adversity such as my father did.

]]> http://www.thedarkglass.net/2006/02/09/haunted-by-a-band-of-brothers/#comment-39 Sam Widlund Fri, 10 Feb 2006 22:49:00 +0000 http://anthony.poshcoffee.com/?p=32#comment-39 I had the same experience watching "The Grapes of Wrath" for the first time. My grandfather's family came out to California from Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, and the severity of his experiences were never something I really could understand (even after reading the book several times). It happened again when watching "Band of Brothers". Even though he served in the Pacific with the Navy, the universal theme of the series followed over. He still gets together with the men he served with, still calls many of them regularly, and he's in his 80's. I'm always amazed by his life and his ability to overcome. I love the idea of a nobility about it - that's exactly what I see in him. I had the same experience watching “The Grapes of Wrath” for the first time. My grandfather’s family came out to California from Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, and the severity of his experiences were never something I really could understand (even after reading the book several times). It happened again when watching “Band of Brothers”. Even though he served in the Pacific with the Navy, the universal theme of the series followed over. He still gets together with the men he served with, still calls many of them regularly, and he’s in his 80’s. I’m always amazed by his life and his ability to overcome. I love the idea of a nobility about it - that’s exactly what I see in him.

]]> http://www.thedarkglass.net/2006/02/09/haunted-by-a-band-of-brothers/#comment-37 Steve Thu, 09 Feb 2006 13:10:51 +0000 http://anthony.poshcoffee.com/?p=32#comment-37 This is true. It is unfortunate, however, that this WWII generation managed to give us the curse of the baby boomer generation, which will surely be recorded in history as a self-indulgent mess. This is true. It is unfortunate, however, that this WWII generation managed to give us the curse of the baby boomer generation, which will surely be recorded in history as a self-indulgent mess.

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