For the few of you who don't know, I am a veteran. I served in the 82nd Airborne Division; I am a second-generation paratrooper, actually, and had my wings pinned by a Brigadier General at the Airborne school at Fort Benning, Georgia. I served my country well, and was deployed in a variety of places, including the longest Airborne mission in history, as well as Kosovo.
The tradition of military service is strong in my family; I, my father, my grandfather, my great-grandfather, several of my cousins, and various and sundry second- and twice-removeds have all served, in various capacities.
So, certain holidays mean a bit more to me than they do to most; Memorial Day is one of them. Memorial Day is the holiday during which we, as a nation and a citizenry, honor the sacrifices of those who walk the walls for us, and fell on our behalf.
We don't do enough of that. In our furor over politics, we often lose sight of the fact that those who walk the walls yet do so, regardless of our support or lack thereof; and although we loudly bewail their loss, we still often choose to protest at their funerals. Those who have fallen in the cause of liberty are our defenders; they are our bravest, our finest, our most motivated; and we don't give them enough credit or respect.
Army life is pretty thankless. You never get paid enough, you work harder than at any civilian job, and you endure snide comments from civilians anytime you go out in public wearing the uniform. And yet your soldiers, airmen, marines, and sailors continue to do the really stellar job they do, with motivation, aggression, belief, and competence. Some of them - those we honor today - die in the cause of those beliefs; that freedom is worth having, and worth defending, even for those who sneer at the people who provide it to them.
A while back, I heard a song from a band I'd never listened to before; a song that hit a chord for me, as a former soldier and veteran of our Armed Forces. It's a song that I believe every soldier ought to hear; every citizen ought to listen to. Because it sums up the creed, and the beliefs, of a soldier better than any other statement I believe I've ever heard.
That song is "Winterborn," by the Cruxshadows. What follows is the lyrics, followed by a music video for the song. The actual band video is basically just them on stage, so I chose this video instead, as I felt it matched the music more fittingly; but either way, it's a powerful tribute, and one I believe deserves to be shared. I will note that emphasis within the lyrics is mine. Without further ado:
Winterborn (This Sacrifice)
by Cruxshadows
album: Ethernaut (2003)
Dry your eyes and quietly bear this pain with pride
For heaven shall remember the silent and the brave
And promise me they will never see, the fear within our eyes
(my eyes are closed)
We will give strength to those who still remain
So bury fear, for fate draws near
And hide the signs of pain
With noble acts, the bravest souls
Endure the heart's remains
Discard regret, that in this debt
A better world is made
That children of a newer day might remember
And avoid our fate
(I've waited all day in the pouring rain, but nobody came, no, nobody came)
And in the fury of this darkest hour
We will be your light
You've asked me for my sacrifice
And I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith is come
That I have never known
I hear the angels call my name
And I am Winter born
Hold your head up high-for there is no greater love
Think of the faces of the people you defend
(you defend)
And promise me, they will never see the tears within our eyes
(my eyes are closed)
Although we are men, with mortal sins, angels never cry
So bury fear, for fate draws near
And hide the signs of pain
With noble acts, the bravest souls
Endure the heart's remains
Discard regret, that in this debt
A better world is made
That children of a newer day might remember
And avoid our fate
And in the fury of this darkest hour
We will be your light
You've asked me for my sacrifice
And I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith in God
That I have never known
I hear the angels call my name
And I am Winter born
And in the fury of this darkest hour
I will be your light
A lifetime for this destiny
For I am Winter born
And in this moment..I will not run
It is my place to stand
We few shall carry hope
Within our bloodied hands
(bloodied hands)
And in our Dying, we're more alive-than we have ever been
I've lived for these few seconds
For I am Winter born
And in the fury of this darkest hour
We will be the light
You've asked me for my sacrifice
And I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith in man
That I have never known
I hear the angels call my name
And I am Winter born
Within this moment now
I am for you, though better men have failed
I will give my life for love
For I am Winter born
And in my dying
I'm more alive, than I have ever been
I will make this sacrifice
For I am Winter born
That, to me, is great tribute indeed.
The video in that clip, by the way, is from the movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, which I think was better than it got credit for.
It's Memorial Day.
Go thank a veteran; place flowers at a soldier's grave; honor the fallen. They honored you with their sacrifice on your behalf; you can at least buy them some flowers, or give them a friendly word. Those fogies down at the VFW hall paid a dear price for their right to sit there, and many of their friends are among those we honor today.
