War.
Not many people here will be able to say they know what it is. We have some members from the Former Yugoslavian states, and some from other countries in the Middle East who have been close to it.
But most here have not the slightest idea what it is to live in a war. And while they should be happy to enjoy that situation, instead it shows that they have forgotten it can be very different.
The situation of being in a war is not just about putting bombs or like playing Counter-Strike. Most people who land unprepared in a real war, will die in 5 minutes unless someone saves them.
It looks ok in a game, but when you are in reality facing other human beings and have to choose to kill or be killed, it changes your mind forever. Nothing will be the same once you made the choice.
Many soldiers use alcohol or drugs to help their mind process their acts. Others close their mind, and human life will never again have value for them.
But there is not a single human who stays the same after being in a war.
And not just soldiers. When you live in a warzone, life has to go on. You still have to go to work, get your hands on food and live as much of your life as you can.
But while you do this, you have to listen for airplanes who might release bombs. Avoid snipers or rogue soldiers whose mind has gone so far they shot aat anything.
When you get up in the morning, you do not know if you will be alive in the evening, and wonder which person you know will die today.
When you go to sleep, you do not know if you will wake up, and what terrible news will await you.
In a war there is no winner. A country may declare victory, another may admit defeat. But everyone who has been touched by the war has lost.
Lost lives, lost part of their soul and humanity.
Those of you who see this as just a story, count yourself lucky, and hope you will never understand the full meaning.
Those who understand it, my thoughts are with you.
Whenever you feel the need to swear and flame. Whenever you wish someone disease or death. Whenever you get yourself mad about a virtual game.
Whenever you feel bullied by some words on your computer. Whenever you feel that people should do what you hope for and it did not happen.
Consider for one moment how it would be if every day you saw people disappear never to return. How it would be if you were forced to go and kill people, knowing some of them could be.
How it would be if every disconnection of a number of people could mean their houses, and maybe lives, were lost.
The coming days you may meet elderly men dressed in uniforms. They know that today's young people care more for their iPhone as for what happened a long time ago. And they do not mind, as they understand you have no idea.
If you meet them, for once do something strange. Go up to them, and thank them for what they did.
It will not restore the part of the soul they lost in war. But is will make them believe it was worth it.
+1
Been there, lived trough that. (just so someone does not get confused, i was not in army, i was preatty young back then).
Role of modern wars are extreamly diffrent from wars in the past. In the past there was honour, people respected theyre enemies.
Now, it has all changed, and only reason for war is CASH.
We must deal with it: World has become just a huuuuuge peace of CRAP!