Directness of Purpose...

It seems, in retrospect, that this phrase has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was young, my older brother and sister both went to schools that included "Directness of Purpose" along with "Self Reliance" and "Simplicity of Life" in their motto. I later worked at one of the schools and drew on the words for many a fundraising letter. Much later I married a man who attended that school as well. The phrase wove through my consciousness for many years.

Today as I was walking at the cranberry bogs near our home with my husband and our dog, we spotted a young man carrying what looked like a very heavy pack. It's an odd sight because there are no hiking trails or camping areas near there and he was too clean and pressed to be homeless (also too far from town). We assumed immediately that he was in training for something.

The way that the bogs are laid out, you often see people a long while before you encounter them so you have plenty of time to size them up.I guessed him to be 15 to 16 years old and immediately thought that he was preparing for a Boy Scout trip. My husband thought he was a little older - maybe 19 or so.

After a few minutes our paths met and we greeted each other with a smile. I asked him if he was training for something and he said with a smile, "Yes, the military... some day." He was a bit awkward but wanted to pet the dog so we spoke for a few more minutes. "What branch of the military are you interested in?" I asked. "The Army!" he said with a broad grin. We told him about my many nieces and nephews who are or were in the Army and his interest was piqued and he asked what they each specialized in. As we listed "Helicopter pilot, military police, mortar man, supply, intelligence" and each of the ranks (that we could remember), he was enthralled.

After a few minutes we wished him well on his military career and set off to finish our walk. "Directness of Purpose" came to mind. That young man with the perfectly smooth, barely (if ever) shaved skin, flushed cheeks, and proudly wearing a ball cap displaying the American flag has a Directness of Purpose like I haven't seen in a young person in a long while. He is clearly focused and preparing and planning ahead.

My husband and I spent the last several minutes of our walk talking about our personal thoughts about the military - coincidentally, both of us feel that a period of time in the military would likely have been good for each of us. My thoughts were that I could have used the structure and discipline to help me define my goals and desires in life a little early. His thoughts were that he was thankful he had decided against it as he surely would have been in the Gulf War and he knows how that could have ended for him.

I couldn't help but think about that boy for the rest of the afternoon. He's young. He's determined. He's an idealist. He's a hero in the making. Anyone willing to write a check for their life is a hero in my book. And I couldn't help but think "If I see him again in five years, will I recognize him? He will still be young but will he still be an idealist? Will he still believe as fully then that the military was a good fit for him as he surely thought today?" and I couldn't keep my mind from asking, "Will he be alive."