Lessons from a POW.

Yesterday I made a commitment to find something to smile about in everything I can.  Well, that translated (in practice) into friendly encounters with strangers both at the airport and in Fort Worth.  I struck up several exciting conversations and made several lifelong friends.

One of my new friends is a man by the name of Barry Bridger.  Barry is a retired Lt. Col in the military.  He was a POW for 6 years in the Hanoi Hilton camp in Vietnam, with John McCain.  His recollections of the physical & mental torture during those 6 years are both horrific and inspiring.  The man is probably in his 70s, but has the energy and vitality of a 30-year-old.  Barry attributes part of that vitality to the mental strength he built while in Vietnam.  In particular, they were locked in single cells with snakes & tarantulas, and were subject to random beatings.  But Barry made it out alive and is living life with all the satisfaction that a man could want.  I wonder what his rescue day felt like.  In a strange way, I find myself envying his POW experience?

What does it take for us to appreciate the little things in life?  Do we have to be burned by terrorists to realize what a wonderful life this is?  Do we have to lose a loved one to realize how precious life is?  Just yesterday a sick man walked into a gym and killed two women…I’m sure those women did not wake up that morning thinking, “How can I make the most of my last day on earth?”  I wonder if they have any regrets…or things left unsaid…

Another man I met was shot in the face and in the right leg while serving in Vietnam.  While he is technically 100% disabled due to a crippled gait, he works out 6 days a week, travels frequently, and spreads kindness to everyone he meets.  Does this sound like a man who is a cripple?  The guy is happier than most people I see!  Him and Barry have endured some of the toughest conditions that a person can encounter, and made it out livelier than ever.  They do not feel sorry for themselves.  They do not resent their fate or regret their decisions.  Can you imagine a 20-year-old learning that he would be “100% disabled” for the rest of his life?

I feel like a baby when I think about the things I complain about…having small eyes, having to choose a career, having a nagging mom, not being able to buy Gucci handbags…how petty!   We get so caught up in the daily hassles that we forget the bigger picture, and that is what we fail to train our minds to see.  Barry and the other veteran (we’ll just call him John) were forced to see the bigger picture when they had nothing else, and to build an intrinsic faith that nothing could destroy.  That is what I seek, and hopefully it will not require being captured by terrorists.

Tonight I will be having dinner with them and I’m curious to find out what their definition of success is.  For now, my goal is to build my faith by focusing on the intrinsic value of my daily interactions, my family, and my friends, because having a nagging mom is better than having no mom.