I met an old man who was a World War II vet, who served with the Navy in the Pacific, from 1941-47. He wasn't a crabby, crusty old guy. On the contrary, he was very pleasant and had a nice smile. "You know," I said, "I consider you and your generation heroes for responding to the nation's call and going overseas." With the humility characteristic of his generation, he said, "Only some of us were heroes--those of us who didn't come back." It was a moment in our conversation, and we talked about family, people he loved, our rich nation full of poor individuals who don't know how to have relationships, and much more.
Thinking about this man, standing on a Navy ship in a sharp white uniform, fighting in a war whose outcome would determine the course of history, and seeing him now, his stooped form in the chair before me, I couldn't help but recognize the brevity of life. Moreover, I realized time is so short to share with people what matters most to us as Christians.