If Not for That War

 If not for the Vietnam War I might have gone into military service.  The war was the reason for the protests at the 68 Democratoc National Convention.  I never protested except to maybe my dad who knew my feelings about war and that one in particular.  But now that I look back on it and see the benefits of servicemen and women do I sometimes wish differently?  No.  That is my short answer.

A lot of Vietnam vets have a lot of issues from the war and they need support.  And not every vet from that period do quite well.  But the war soured me on military service and sometimes still does.  I think a lot of it was the draft itself.  I just felt so much was wrong at the time and still feel that way.  I'm not alone with these feelings about war and service.  My generation changed the voting age from 21 to 18.  

But the Democratic Conventiion was just held in Chicago and the protests today are about Gaza.  I won't get into that.  But protests have been a part of conventions since.  The sixties were overshadowed by Vietnam.  But today Vietnam is a tourist destination with the war a distant memory.  And I'm happy about this.  When we pulled out in Vietnam I was graduating from college and decided that was the time to burn my draft card, although my having done so was a federal offense.  

Now I wished I had saved it as a reminder for my sons.  But I wasn't thinking about that although now I save useless things.  I've saved my ballglove from the early 80's although it hasn't been used since.  I have old phonograph records.  Some I've had since the 60's.  My wife says I have a lot of old useless stuff still.  Maybe I'd have war souvenirs if I had served.  But a lot of guys went to Vietnam and didn't come back.  Around 50,000 of them didn't return.  

I've had many twists and turns in life.  But everything has worked out for the best.  My thinking is that God didn't want me in the service.  But really, everything always work out for the best.  I could say today my feelings about the war don't matter.  But back then they mattered.  So instead of smoking a pipe today feeling regrets about the past, I try not to be anxious about the future.  Smoking a pipee keeps me focused on the now because the now matters.  My pipe this morning is my Belgium Hilson Avanti pipe with Dave's Special Blend tobacco and my coffee is Manatee flavored blend.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave