Edited on Canva with the photo by Eduard Delputte on Unsplash.
We reside in an interesting world wherein ups and downs are side by side but despite of that we see something positive in it that gives us a light of hope to continue sailing the uncertainties of life.
Friday has ended again and it was a great day for me. I woke up this first day of the weekend witnessing a magnificent opening. Sunrise by the east never ceased to amazed me. This grand opening infect me with a lot of positivity to live my life trough out the day.
I decided to go by the market this day since I got some extra money left from my allowance. I will buy the needed things in our life especially our personal necessities.
Photo by Jonathan Marchal on Unsplash.
I passed by in a narrow street wherein someone got my attention and I had a second thought whether I will go through that way because a man was at the side and he was asleep. He was covered with dirt and flies are flying around him.
He was homeless and don't get the wrong idea when I said I had a second thought about passing through it because what if he was dead. I had a trauma whenever someone is asleep and not moving especially when their blanket is on them.
I passed by his side and went directly to the market because time was running out already plus it's very hot and it's making me sweat a lot. I completed what's in my list and I decided to pass by again on that way where I saw the man. I want to give him some food to eat and water but he's gone already.
Before I go home I decided to pass by at the church to lit some candle for our love ones who already passed away. As I leave church, I had a glimpse of him sitting beside the tower where the big bell is. So I went near to him to hand over the food. He was smiling as I approach him and the moment I'm at his side, he said thank you.
Photo by Jonathan Kho Ming Jun on Unsplash.
I smiled back at him and said that if possible I can sit beside him to have a little chat. Despite the fact that he's homeless I can observe that his body is built well so I wonder if maybe he's not that really homeless.
I started to asked his name and he replied "I'm Emilio but you can call me Emil." I introduced myself also and I was literary shock when I heard the other details about him. I learned that he was a former soldier with the rank of a Major, he served the country for almost 50 years then he retired.
With that information I can't help myself but to ask why he ended up like that so I asked a lot more.
Sir where's your family? They're at the city and they don't want to accept me anymore because I don't have the money to give them, he replied.
From that statement I didn't dare to follow up questions regarding his family again but I kept on asking questions regarding his profession before. Ofcourse I asked permission if I may do so and he granted it.
I asked first if it's really hard to become a soldier. He replied that it's just so easy to become one if we really want to because when it comes to our life we are already a soldier fighthing our own endless battle. But when it comes to serving your country then it's definitely yes, because just by passing exam is really hard plus the physical fitness test. You should be mentally stable and physically prepared, he added.
In becoming a soldier you need to have the guts to fulfill your duty because omce you became one, your life is already on the line plus you must have the strong love to serve, protect your country and protect it's citizen from unwanted disturbance causing the peace to be unstable. Don't become a soldier if the only thing you want is the money. Yes we can't deny that we had a good salary but don't think about it, think about your mission when you took the oath.
Photo by maxzzerzz ❄ on Unsplash.
I asked another question and it's sensitive. Sir have you ever killed a person through out your duty? He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. To be honest with you I killed a lot already, I saw them from my scope. From that one I assumed that he was a sniper and I was correct.
I eliminated a lot already, from young to adult. His voice was trembling when he said that and I can see the sadness in his eyes. It's such a loss to see young ones being used by adults to commit crimes, they had so much potential and the world has so much to offer to them than being a criminal, he added.
I felt sad about it and I thought for a second if I will ask more. My guts told me to do so, so I asked last question.
Sir have you ever doubted yourself and had any second thoughts when you're about to shot someone in the field? Always but I have to balance what is righr and what's the best for my country because I have a family to think to.
I just take a deep breath everytime I pull the trigger. Why I have to do it? It's because what if the next time they kill innocent people and that would be my family or friends then I will have the guilt of not finishing that person when I got the chance. I don't want to be haunted by my self.
As he explained infront of me I'm holding my breath because he's making facial expressions wherein my soul was touched. I then said to myself that I need to have that guts when I want to become one soon. Because to be honest I really want to become a soldier to serve my country.
Hearing those things from him, my desire to become one became even stronger. I was inspired by his words and I know he experienced a lot from his carreer. A salute to all the soldiers out there who risked and still risking their life to preserve peace while being in the shadow.
My weekend went well with the homeless hero. I was smiling the whole time as I went home.
This is my entry with the weekend prompt hosted by sir @galenkp. If you want to join click this. I chose the last one which is what if I had the chance to talk to someone, I chose the soldier.
Thank you for reading.
