It’s hard, during these early days of my second term of service, not to think back to the first one. Times have changed and I feel a bit like the old soldier serving in his second war, surrounded by teenagers who are new to combat.
Wednesday, during our drive home, I found myself making lots of comments to a 20-year-old teammate about things “back in the day.” I know I must be careful not to share too much of that kind of “wisdom” — particularly if it could be interpreted as unfavorable comparisons between “my” day and “our” (new) day.
I’ll probably use this blog to ramble on about those “happy days” and to gripe about how “things just ain’t like they used to be.”
Then again, I remember that, at that time, some of us were serving our country in safety while others were in Southeast Asian jungles killing and being killed. The tropics have given way to the desert, but young Americans are again putting their lives on the line far from home while a new group of volunteers serves once more on the domestic front.
And I remember that our program — then called the “war on poverty” became a point of contention between Republicans and Democrats back in Washington. It’s early in the new “serve America” era and no such disharmony seems to exist. But I won’t be surprised if AmeriCorps and other poverty programs once again are made pawns in the ideological wars fought back in D.C.
Looking for my high school diploma (a requirement, along with a USA birth certificate), I ran into my certificate of completion for the 1967 Vista training program. I had already revisited a draft copy of my application and my I.D. card.
Memories are flooding back. Strongest among these right now are thoughts of my classmates during that 6-week-long training period.
Having met most of my new, 21st century, colleagues, I’m already regretting the fact that there won’t be more time to bond with them. The sense of being in something important together was powerful before and would be a real highlight of my re-service experience.
I’m hoping that the internet (email, blogs and maybe even Skype) will allow some of us to build some memories. Who knows? Maybe some of us will form amazing friendships, thanks to modern technology.
Most of the time — in the movies, that is — the older veteran is respected and valued for his wisdom. He’s rarely the hero and can’t charge up the hill as fast as the younger soldiers; but he serves as a surrogate father, as a mentor and as a sage.
There might not be much of a calling for those kinds of services. And I can live with that.
I’ll settle for not becoming known as the cranky old guy who’s always complaining that things were better in the good old days.
Tags: '60s, all for good, AmeriCorps, americorps alum, asking again, baby boom, Building Healthy Communities, California, California Endowment, Community Development, community journalism, corporation for national and community service, HandsOn Central California, Johnson, Kennedy, live united, Merced, my americorps, national service, old VISTA, Points of light, retired, Sargent Shriver, social networking, United Way, VISTA, Vista alum, Volunteer, volunteer infrastructure program, volunteering in america, War on Poverty, We Connect, we media
July 7, 2009 at 7:13 am |
Nice!