Oh Captain, My Captain

Bob Dylan said, "I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom." Day after day, hour after hour, my hero is spending her time saving lives in a hospital. Not just any hospital, but one that is frequented by the sounds of sirens due to incoming threats from mortars, rocket propelled grenades and all sorts of attacks. The sirens cause interruptions to the intense and already stressful environment where lives are on the verge of death and every single second counts. She is not just saving any life either, but the lives of our troops who are sacrificing everything so honorably for the betterment of others. My good friend is a Captain in the United States Air Force working tirelessly as an Intensive Care Unit Nurse at the Air Base Hospital in Balad, Iraq. She is assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing made famous by the Tuskegee Airmen. The troops that my hero is serving are both American and Coalition forces to include Iraqi troops who have been wounded by many different means. Their injuries range from close range gunshots to burn victims with missing limbs from Improvised Explosive Devices.Six months of her life will pass performing this incredibly tedious but honorable duty when all is said and done. So much of her life has been placed on hold in the meantime. But knowing lives are at stake, she was humbled to go and bring her gifted touch of calmness to those in traumatic times. She found peace in God’s omnipresence to guide her through this period and she has hope that His grace transpires vicariously through her.It is simple to meet my hero and be captivated by her smile and gracefulness. She not only lives but truly personifies a life of humility. Like any other hero, I am sure she considers it a normal duty that anyone in her position would do. I am not sure of the number of lives she will have touched in the end, but I am sure she will not seek one single bit of recognition for it, and that in itself is the reason why I consider her my hero. With that, I will end this with the words of Will Rogers who said it best. “We can’t all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.” I am so glad to have such a wonderful hero and I look forward to applauding her job well done when she returns.

Nature Does Nothing Uselessly

“I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
E.B. White (1899-1985)

“In all things of Nature there is something of the marvelous.”
Aristotle (384BC-322BC)

After 8 months of anticipation I had the wonderful pleasure last evening of watching the film entitled “Earth” by Disney Nature in celebration of Earth Day. And, it was as perfect as I had imagined. Oh! I am also excited to have a tree planted in my honor because of my ticket purchase.
Some critics have been labeling it a kids’ movie but I wholeheartedly disagree. I must admit that although it is being labeled such, many of the same critics rarely show this much enthusiasm for a “kids’ movie”. Here is a quote from one of the harshest movie critics of all time- the L.A Times- "It shouldn't be missed. What it does well is so remarkable that by the time the credits roll you likely won't want it to end." Some didn’t like James Earl Jones’s narration. Some of it was a little, ummm, unexpected and perhaps corny, but J. Earl Jones is one of my favorite guys alive today, so I enjoyed his narration very much.
I also read some people mentioning that Global Warming is an undertone theme or drive behind this movie but being a somewhat skeptic (emphasis on somewhat) of Global Warming and its causes, I did not find that in there at all. If you go looking for it, you will seek it just as anything you are searching for to fit and shape your already deeply engrained opinion. Even though Earth’s temperature rising is mentioned, it does not even acknowledge that the human race exists one single bit or the causes of the warming, not even a suggestive reason.
It was incredible to see our wonderful and incredibly vibrant planet on such a grand scale in the theatre. Species of beings I never knew existed and their uniqueness was completely captivating. We lose touch with our world and ourselves when we don’t take notice of all the life around us. That concrete jungle previously mentioned. I am so grateful to have people with such talent and vision in the world to create pieces like this that inspire all of us to live, not just be. Walt’s vision 65 years ago with True-Life Adventure Films have come so far and this only makes me a thousand times more excited about visiting Disney World once again next month. (yes Christy, Disney World is better than Disney Land, just as Florida is better than California).
As a brief side note, it appears this Earth Day film release will be an annual occurrence. Next year Disney Nature will release a film entitled “Ocean” and it looks just as incredible!!! I can’t wait, I hope you can make it.
You can view the trailer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G06r7eKKjkI
or google Disney Nature Ocean.
What a wonderful world. Enjoy it and take care of it!