No. 56 - Whose bullet would you take?

So I was watching this program I rented last night and one of the scenes led me to some interesting thinking. As in many stories, the two main characters were deeply in love with one another. The challenge they faced was great in that the lady was captured and then taken into slavery and the man, refusing to give up on his woman, gave chase.

Across many miles, and overcoming many dangers, the two finally reconnected and the man, now surrounded with hundreds of other “warriors”, took the fight to the aggressors. The climax of the film came on the day of battle – good against evil – when at last the good guys were winning. Lo and behold, when the prize was just within reach, one of the aggressors – whose position was that he’d rather no one got the woman prize – sent an arrow through the air. It found its mark and soon our great warrior was cradling his dying mate as she took her last breath.

So I sat there and thought about this for a while. And as is my habit, one thought lead to another and soon I found myself wondering what is must have been like for so many people throughout the history of mankind, to give their lives for the person they love. What sacrifice. What daring and audacity… what truer demonstration of love and giving can be made!?

I imagine these men and women must have fully understood what it means to commit ones life to that which they believe in. They must have completely appreciated the fact that in giving they receive. And they must have somehow found a way to decide – even if in that single moment of self-sacrifice – that the life of their loved one was far more important then their own.

When does the individual make that kind of choice? Does it happen before or during the moment of truth? Under what circumstances can such a perspective be realized? Is this notion a thing of the past, or does it still exist today?

It is hard to say.

There I had it… there was the dilemma of the millennium… there was the thing – the act – that would clearly define the strength of commitment one human being has towards another. There was the true measure of our lives and how we could all know a greater sense of being.

I had heard for many years a saying so many use at random. A saying we automatically take for granted and use as if it really means something. I suppose is does have a meaning however I think we ought to expand on that meaning. And I’m sure you have heard it at some point in time in your relationship – either in the present or in some distant past.

“I would die for you.”

My question is: Really…, would you really do that?

I mean, think about it, nowadays we are so caught up in thinking about ourselves we rarely think of others the way we once did. In today’s world many are professional at using words to express an ideal that once had grit, meaning, and meant something relevant. Many know all the cliché words and phrases that are “supposed” to demonstrate our love and affection for that special someone in our lives.

But how many of us KNOW who we would take a bullet for? It almost seems funny just writing this because, I must confess, there are parts of me that are still influenced by the society in which I live. To even consider this subject is surely radical thinking. And I’m sure there are those who would question why I would even have a thought like that… and that’s a good question, I might add.

In truth, it’s my humble opinion that part of a communities power and greatness lie in that communities capacity to sacrifice the individual for the whole. I think back on the many water cannons and dog attacks endured during the Civil Rights era and I can see where this ideal was understood and embraced by the community. It must have taken great strength to willingly step outside of a comfort zone in belief of something for the greater good of all, to risk bodily injury and harm – even death. Ultimately, as we all now know, this behavior caused a greater positive reaction for the overall community.

Now, please don’t get me wrong… I am not condoning any sort of violence or sacrifice, per se. I’m simply exploring this ideal to better understand how true love and strength is proven… I want to be able to qualify what the tangible proofs of an individual’s love and commitment are that can be seen in how one person acts towards another. It is from this place that I pose the questions of this dispatch.

So I allowed my thoughts to wander and soon I was putting together a list of people I would willingly die for. It was quite the exercise, I must say, because it caused me to look deep within. It caused me to question and consider all of the relationships I hold dear. And it triggered some very interesting questions and thoughts around how true I am to my word, as well as traits of my character such as integrity, truth, fearlessness, and commitment.

I thought about all the people I’ve come into contact with over the years, and all the things I’ve said around community, history, self, and love. I considered ways to quantify how important one person is to me, as compared to another. It was enough to make me sit and think for hours. It was interesting to perceive how my mind began to make assessments, to try to valuate each person I considered.

All in all the process and the exercise was quite insightful.

It would be unfair for me to provide any more of the details of specifics surrounding my choices as I think that’s the kind of conversation one would have in person. Suffice it to say, I now have a greater appreciation for those within my circle.

I can tell you that some of the thoughts that came out of my process was these: We have become softened to ideas of sacrifice for the betterment of our community because we are now more selfish than ever before. We have gotten to the point where we rather talk about things than be about things because talking requires little or no work at all. And we’ve gotten quite good at passing the buck to others with regard to how we need to own our life situations and realities because we make excuses for not making time to do the work that must be done.

Perhaps the previous summation is a bit off target for some, but I challenge you to take the time to consider what you’ve read. I ask that you allow your thoughts to flow freely, overcoming your fear of thinking outside the box, and honestly explore the points you end considering in your journey. This exercise will draw your attention to things many take for granted and it will allow you an opportunity to get to know YOU a bit better.

It may be a stretch for some but I’m counting on your intelligence and daring to take you outside of you comfort zone – outside of your box – and down the road to discovery as you consider one simple question:

Whose bullet would you take?