As Richard punched out our first set of basketball tickets for this year’s home stand this morning, it occured to me that by the time we punch out the last set in the batch, our house will be built, and McCauley and Fells will have had much of their opportunity to make their senior season statements. I hope our house stands for a long time. I wonder what Ben and Courtney hope for? Every year there is talk of the other two teams in the region, and one or both of them are on a lot of covers, but you know, lately, not much has come of that, either. The only thing that matters is what you can do on the court by the time the last buzzer sounds, and every new game is another opportunity to rise.
For Lowe, the memory of last season will motivate him for the rest of his career.
“I won’t forget it,” Lowe said. “Every time we step out on that floor, I want to remind myself that we don’t want to go through that again. It’s over but it’s always there.”
… . “As I said when I took this job, I’m going to learn every year, and I’m going to have to make adjustments,” Lowe said. “I was somewhat spoiled in my first year because I had Engin Atsür, so I really didn’t have to say much or do much because he would say it. I think coming back that second year, I thought that our guys still had that. Well, they don’t. And that’s not a negative thing, but they don’t, so I’m Engin Atsür now, and that’s my role now from here on out.”
We’vebeen hearing a lot about our team’s new attitude, and while two exhibition games are not enough to form a judgment, I do see improved hustle and determination on the faces of the guys. The main thing I appreciated about Engin is his determination in the face of every single obstacle. Even when we were down by 20, Engin had the same look on his face, and when we were up by 20, he never looked surprised. He just set his chin and kept going. Games always go in cycles and get emotional, but Engin knew how to control it on the court. Our guys have a lot of passion, and passion is an important weapon in basketball. But going the distance counts more. So go Engin-er, Sidney-go!
Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day, a day to remember those who have given their lives in service to their country. PTSD is also a life-taker, in that it irrevocably changes the life of the person it afflicts. PTSD changes the way your brain works and your heart responds to the world.
I’ve been asked to share with you some very special information, and I hope you will take a moment to make use of the opportunity made available by The Soldier’s Heart Community to watch a movie with a very special purpose. From Brian Delate, the actor and filmmaker who sent me this request:
Soldier’s Heart follows the journey of a Vietnam Vet on his way to restoration from PTSD, and illustrates how it impacts his relationships with Family, Friends, and Loved ones. My hope is that this movie will help veterans, soldiers, and their loved ones understand and reflect on some of their wounds and begin their restoration, just as I have.
Brian and I share something in common even though I’ve never seen a mortar shell explode. We both bear invisible wounds and will struggle for the rest of our lives to exist in a world in which our minds broke, in order to enable us to protect ourselves. Broken mind, broken heart.
My friend Jim Wilson was a Viet Nam vet who always greeted his fellow vets with a quiet phrase: “Welcome Home.” I wondered about this at first. Why would you welcome home someone who had been home for so many years already? But I came to realize that for some veterans the search for home is never over, and the heart is never safe. View the trailer for A Soldier’s Heart below:
Starting tomorrow, you can view the movie for free through November 13th, 2008 by visiting this link. There are many different things in a person’s life that can trigger an understanding of their disorder. Losing a friend, hitting the proverbial bottom, or recognizing something or some trait in someone else that resembles one’s self. I believe that what this movie can potentially do for someone with PTSD is show them what their PTSD looks like to others, what journeying toward health might look like, and offer a way through. There is no way out of PTSD, no end to the journey. But there is a way to live with PTSD.
Brian is offering this film for free for just a few days—please watch it if you have PTSD or suspect you may have it, or know someone who may be suffering from PTSD, anxiety or depression. After the 13th the movie will be available for a $5 donation—a small gift to help the Restore Our Soldiers organization.
Fallen Leaves by Jayesh Nair of Mumbai, IndiaThis week is Veteran’s Week, and I’d like to remind everyone to give a thought to all of the veterans of U.S. actions in Iraq and Afghanistan who are adjusting to those conflicts back home.
It is now believed that one in every three U.S. soldiers will return from those conflicts with a serious psychological injury such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression or another form of anxiety. Approximately 1.5 million men and women have served in the Gulf, which represents an epidemic of half a million people who are adjusting to lives with mental handicaps. While I would never suggest that a psychological injury is worse, or less severe, than a physical one, the mental handicaps of PTSD are also burdens which will be borne for the rest of their lives. And according to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the military’s ability to care for these wounded warriors is “woefully inadequate.” Consider these facts:
Twenty percent of married troops in Iraq say they are planning a divorce
The current Army suicide rate is the highest it has been in 26 years
More than 20,000 Iraq and Afghanistan vets have been treated for substance abuse
90 percent of military psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers reported no formal training or supervision in the recommended PTSD therapies
Less than 40% of troops with psychological wounds are currently in treatment
So when you look at the American flag this week, sing the anthem, visit a cemetery or think of all the many sacrificies of those who have fought for our country, remember that not all wounds show scars you can see.
Which serves to remind us that stupidity lives everywhere.
Other than the election, it’s been something of a rough week, so looking forward to basketball has gotten me through all day. Others are debating whether we have a real point guard, whether we’re healthy, whether Brandon and Ben are back. Me, I’m just wondering how many points we are going to put up against East Directional, er, Fort Valley, State, tonight. I plan to do my part to make Reynolds as loud as humanly possible so that team gets just a little glimpse of what a great fan base we are. Who’s with me?
As Richard punched out our first set of basketball tickets for this year’s home stand this morning, it occured to me that by the time we punch out the last set in the batch, our house will be built, and McCauley and Fells will have had much of their opportunity to make their senior season statements. I hope our house stands for a long time. I wonder what Ben and Courtney hope for? Every year there is talk of the other two teams in the region, and one or both of them are on a lot of covers, but you know, lately, not much has come of that, either. The only thing that matters is what you can do on the court by the time the last buzzer sounds, and every new game is another opportunity to rise.
