Just watched 2 films – “whip it” and "Anvil" .

the first: A girl from a small boring town, with a mother she finds too conventional, Clandestinely takes up a sport involving punk-like roller skate speed competitions. Makes me think my teenage life was too conventional for my own good…. Coulda done with some gentle punk stuff. Re finding yourself as a teen, and still loving your parents, though understanding

“your children are not your children, they are the arrow that is thrust forward by the bow of destiny”…. Kahil Gibran.

Goethe: We cannot fashion our children after our desires, we must have them and love them as God has given them to us.

AND “ANVIL” …. a documentary about a Hard Rock band from 80s making a comeback, guys in their 50s. Working menial jobs, and still trying to make it big with their band after 30 years. Very touching. It culminates with a successful gig in Japan, with a big crowd. The paradox about “Anvil” with it’s sometimes anti-christian overtones, is that I’m sure there are angels in heaven who cheered for this band. Anything that you do with all your heart gains support in the other world.

Like Goethe said: Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.

Where is the man who has the strength to be true, and to show himself as he is?

Destiny grants us our wishes, but in its own way, in order to give us something beyond our wishes.

re the army and war: When we did our grenade qualification, we sat in bunkers and heard the huge wallop and the ball bearings spray the bunker… and we kind of felt sorry for anyone who might be on the receiving end of one of our grenades. Even though from my readings, a lot of the Taliban deserve little mercy. And I'm sure I would have few qualms about killing them if one of my section members was killed by them.

the Anvil film also made me think : these are the people I want to risk my life and limb for. People come back from Afghanistan with limbs missing, or with mental disturbances. But we do it for them…. For the Afghan people, for the concept that Good must triumph over Evil, for people like “lips” in the Anvil band. So that they may live their dreams and inspire their children to do the same. So that they may bring joy to others.

We are the Stoics, the Spartans. We refine our bodies to be tough and strong, We build our martial skills and tactics. We live rough in the bush, in pits. We carry crazy huge packs. So that the people may harvest and see their children smile. I am in the army for them, and the people I see at Kmart – the ordinary men and women who pay their bills and raise their kids. They may not have the best dress sense or have travelled to as many places as I have, but I love them for their heart and their simple fortitude.