It Depends on Which Part of the Sky You See

It Depends on Which Part of the Sky You See
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
March 28, 2014

Maybe you live in Florida and can get thru winter without putting on a coat. How could you understand someone freezing to death in a northern state because they cannot afford to buy one?

Maybe you have been healthy and complain about insurance premiums being deducted from your paycheck because you don't need to go to a doctor. How could you understand someone dying because they got sick, needed to see a doctor but couldn't afford to go?

Maybe you have been lucky all your life. If you never had to worry about paying bills, how would you be able to understand someone who has had everything wrong happen to them?

We are all human, living under the same sky, but we only see what is right over our heads. Sometimes the sun is shining over us. Sometimes it is dark. It all depends on what part of the sky you see.

If you are a combat veteran, one of the lucky ones returning home, able to overcome the memories of where you've been, how could you understand another veteran unable to do it?

So many times there is a heartbreaking story in the news of a veteran suffering from PTSD with a comment from another veteran attacking the one the story is about.

No one leaves combat without being changed by it. The only difference is change comes in different levels and outcomes.

One veteran may come home more caring about others. Maybe he never had the opportunity to focus on anyone but himself in the civilian world but was drafted into service during Vietnam. Once there, he had to quickly acknowledge that his life depended on the others he was with and in return their lives depended on him. He was conditioned to pay attention to them and learned how to care.

One veteran may come home pushing family members away from him because he is in so much pain. Maybe he cared too much about the others he was with and it broke his heart.

The only way for his heart to be mended is for another veteran to care enough about him they want to help because even though fighting in Vietnam ended, the battle goes on back home for far too many. PTSD is claiming more and more lives everyday.

If the sky is clear over your head, try to understand that it isn't clear over everyone.

During combat they knew they could lean on you.

During combat they knew you would not leave them behind.

During combat they knew you would pick them up when they were down.

During combat they knew you cared about them.

So why do you pretend to not care now?

If everyone is talking about 22 veterans a day committing suicide

you need to wonder why they don't matter as much today as they 

did during Vietnam because most of the veterans wanting to end 

the pain they carry are Vietnam Veterans.