Today I watched my brother pack and leave for deployment. As a veteran seeing him leave brings worry, fear and respect to those still serving, especially in these times. We have to be strong for them, to show their home is safe and they don't have to worry about their civilian life while deployed. It might seem trite, but it reminds me a little of why we do this in construction, to feed our families, and fix people's homes. A lot of the time people only need work done once their home is threatened. In a way, they are fighting their own battles with the same conviction and focus needed to keep their families safe. But we as members of communities that have been tested, know it will be ok, that these battles can be won. However today, seeing my brother pack off for another war zone, it helps to bring it all into focus. As a veteran I got into this work because it fulfills a part of me that requires the same attention, phisicallity and curiousity that brought me into the service, however it isn't the same. Seeing a soldier leave for a deployment always leaves me feeling like I'm not pulling my weight and that there are larger forces at play than our daily battles. Perhaps in a small way we can do out part by creating a circle of community that is stronger together, that learns from failures, that has shared ideals, and shares those ideals with the work we do every day. To build the security that together we can solve almost any problem facing someone, that frankly no one is alone in their battles. With this, maybe, just maybe we can help the community and be a resource, that we can remind the community that it will be ok, that we can help them and be a force multiplayer for safety and security. Perhaps I'm rambling, but as I said goodbye to my brother, I felt pride that we can build communities that our friends and loved ones feel safe in, want to come home to, by being a sheep dog among wolves, even in construction. #keepingcraftalive #veteran #bluestar (at Boring, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3gpdhfBXGn/?igshid=rl5m5sjc9qr2
