For the record, if you haven’t yet reached the age of 50, I’m not talkin’ to you today. You’re not old enough.
Why 50? Because it’s my blog.
I do drone on about aging, aches and pains, slowing down, the perspective that comes with time served. But beyond that there are raw, real and intensely personal aspects of hanging around this long.
I question myself every day. The root of that conversation is, “What have I done?”
It has nothing to do with means or material wealth, my professional achievements or how the kids turned out, how benevolent I may be or how many friends I have. It takes the measure of character, integrity and wisdom — in short, what have I become?
I’ve been granted the gift of time, along with its experiences and its lessons. What have I made of that?
Am I still a rash, impulsive, reactive child? Did I finally figure out that passive aggression is pointless? Have I learned to be a thoughtful and discerning adult? Am I rational?
Do I carry dusty baggage from the past? Or can I banish poisonous memories, self-destructive behavior and toxic people without so much as a shred of regret?
I’ve had more than enough time to determine what’s important to me. Does the Life I live reflect my values and principles?
Whether I’m on the giving or the receiving end, do I understand the difference between advice and instruction? Do my failures depress me or encourage me?
Have I gone soft? Or am I tough?
Have I embraced both humility and confidence?
Do I return to dry wells? Do I keep pissing on the same electric fences? Do I still fall for ruses and chase mirages as if I’m an 18-year-old who knows no better? Or have the years calibrated my bullshit detector?
What occupies more of my time — being critical or being grateful?
Am I minding my own business?
Is this a Life well-lived?
Some days the self-interrogation goes better than others. How I answer those questions, though, drives everything I do.
I’m glad to have lived long enough to figure that out.
By now I’m sure you’ve seen that photo (above), shared to X recently by the US Navy as part of a public-image campaign. It quickly was taken down, however — can you see why?
The scope is mounted backward on the rifle.
Reaction to the image was swift and pretty much uniform, decrying it as a symbol of the troubling state of our military, incompetent and unable to defend the country. Some noted that a cap blocks the front objective (lens), and pointed out the shooter’s poor form (a “chicken wing” right arm).
The subject of the photo is no greenhorn, either — he’s career Navy, holding the rank of commander, captain of the USS John McCain. Even more damning, right?
Not so fast.
If you’ve ever fired a scoped rifle, you know that there’s no way that this shooter didn’t realize that the optic was fitted backward and covered. He knew that, and he allowed himself to be photographed anyway. He probably approved the image before it was submitted.
That can mean only one thing — it was intentional. The commander (and at least two collaborators) staged the shot.
Was it done as a joke? To punk the low-level flacks in the public-information office, maybe?
I’m more inclined to believe that it was a graphic middle finger to his chain of command.
Zac Bauer (An American Homestead on YouTube) takes it a step further, characterizing the image not only as intentional, but as a “protest” aimed at Navy brass, Pentagon leadership and the ruling regime, all of which have conspired to cripple America’s military readiness.
Look at the left side of the photo — there’s a black man’s left hand resting on the shooter’s right shoulder. Was that part of the message? What might it represent?
The mind reels.
Obviously, I can’t say what the motivation was. All I know for sure is that this picture was no accident.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB