Heroes in the face of adversity

This blog wasn’t started to discuss politics, religion or make social commentary. Instead, it has been created to help you live your best life. However, I believe that it would be irresponsible to ignore what is occurring in Afghanistan as the evacuation effort continues. Don’t worry, I’m not taking sides and am not interested in discussing who was right or who was wrong. I’m not interested in providing my opinion regarding any specific tactic or decision made. That is not my place. I simply didn’t think it was right to gloss over what is happening because this topic seems to be top-of-mind for so many people.

Additionally, there are so many emotions surrounding an event like this. The U.S. has had a military presence in Afghanistan for nearly twenty years and many of us have friends, relatives, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters who have been involved in some way. Many troops from other countries had taken tactical positions their as well. So, I’m guessing that this has had an impact on so many people throughout the world who are trying to make sense of it all.

Part of inspiring others to be the best version of themselves is to understand that we all come from different backgrounds, have different beliefs, and have different political views. Yet, there are certain core principles that we typically hold in common. With the stories of suicide bombers and terrorist groups taking U.S. lives, both military and civilian; as well as taking the lives of allies and Afghan citizens, there hasn’t been much of a silver lining to the evacuation effort.

However, this morning a story came out that highlighted the heroic efforts of a group of military veterans who decided to face adversity head on. A report was released that U.S. Special Forces Veterans secretly rescued hundreds of people, including afghan allies and U.S. citizens. Apparently, a group of special op soldiers including Green Berets and SEAL Team commanders risked their own lives to save the lives of others. They worked under the cover of nightfall and, in some extremely dangerous positions, managed to bring as many as 500 people to the Kabul airport to give them a chance to escape.

Reading this story reminded me that the human spirit can drive people to perform at the highest level, even in the face of the most extreme challenges. Because I search for the good in people and believe that we are all equipped to be great, stories like this are an inspiration to me. My hope is that this story has been an inspiration to anyone reading this blog and has helped to provide a bit of that silver lining for which you may be searching.