- Written By Ryan Cody
For all the good that can be said about Veterans, there is one area that many fall short in; and that is in having the ability to shut off. There’s always a goal, a mission, or a task that needs to be completed. Even hobbies that are meant to provide peace and leisure can warp into a way to measure the improvement of a skill. It is an aspect of the Veteran mindset that is a double-edged sword.
Keeping that in mind, it is no wonder that so many in the Veteran community find peace within nature. Well, peace within nature when they aren’t forced into it by military duties, such as a Commander thinking an eight-point land navigation course in the height of Summer is a good idea.
We are so rarely placed into an environment where responsibilities to work, or chores at home are left behind. Disconnected from the constant input from a world connected by the internet. Left to enjoy peace surrounded by nature is a rare mental reprieve in which you can find stillness.
It is no wonder that many of the great classic American authors, many of whom were Veterans, focused their writing on the wonders of nature. There is a quote from one of Ernist Hemingway’s novels that when taken out of its romantic context and is admired for its simple words, places an interesting intersect of introspection and nature. In his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, the character Robert Jordan asks the question “but did thee feel the earth move?”. It makes me wonder, when is the last time that I was so unburdened by the responsibilities of life that I could feel the almost imperceptible movements of nature?
The answer is a simple one, and that is once. When out hunting last fall, I was able to sit in silence within a deer stand. Yes, the objective was to snag a deer, but as the weekend wrapped up it was almost a tertiary objective. Instead, I sat in peace within the deer stand, watching the squirrels bounce between branches. I listened to birds chirping, unperturbed. I watched the tall grass swaying slightly as the wind picked up as the sun rose. Work and the small foundation crack in my basement weren’t just a few hours away, they were a world away. I was able to disconnect within stand, and for a moment, I could have sworn that I felt the earth move.
Ryan Cody
