eachdraidh | oo1 ⊕ video ⊕ both courts

Hey, uh. Network. My name's Sam, for those of you I haven't gotten the chance to meet yet.

[ a small smile and a lift of his chin that both say he might genuinely like that chance to meet everyone everywhere at some point. but he's here with something serious today, so he moves right along. ]

I wanted to tell y'all something I like to keep in mind from day to day, but especially on days like the last dozen or so. I'm retired military - Air National Guard pararescue, for any of you that are familiar - but I enlisted a long time ago. Don't ask for a number, a man's gotta keep some secrets.

[ feelin' your age, wilson? his cheeky smile is short lived. ]

When I went to basic, I wasn't exactly itching for a fight, so I wasn't with the other greenies that were disappointed when we started with folding our own bed sheets. My ma raised me right, and the first time I picked up a gun, it was with all due respect to the power they were putting in my hands. I didn't wanna let all that go to my head and forget the responsibility that comes with carrying arms.

[ he purses his lips for a quiet beat, inhales shortly before continuing. ]

Wish I could say the same for the first time I shot a man. My country went to war right after I was accepted into the PJs, and when it was down to me or him, I chose him. Just - [ he makes a small pew gunshot sound, glum; ] - and that was that. I wasn't scared and I didn't feel guilty about it - and that was what stuck with me. I asked my unit, my CO, anyone that would listen. No one could tell me whether or not I was supposed to feel good about killing the "bad guys".

[ another moment's silence - half to find his next words, half out of respect for the dead. he scrubs a hand over his head. ]

Still don't really have an answer, and like I said, it's been a long time. Some days I think I might be close, and other days I ask myself "man, who do you think you're kidding?" Thing of it is - whether or not you think it's for the right reasons, taking someone else's life isn't easy, and it shouldn't be. That kinda thing stains your hands, and then you gotta decide how to live with it. For me, at least, some days are easier than others. And on the days when it's not, I keep looking for an answer.

[ finally, he gives a small, weary smile. the point of this whole thing: trying to get people to talk about it so they don't bottle it in. sam knows where he stands, and it's at the door, trying to open it for others. ]

If you've got any ideas, please, I'd love to hear 'em. Maybe we can trade a few around, see if we can't come up with something new. Either way, today's a good day.

[ dead tired, quiet, but sam still says it with a smile before signing off. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ There's something about this whole address that just ends up making Bolin think of Korra. Well, kind of. More about a very angry, one-sided spar that turned into a very serious conversation he had with Korra sometime back in... August? So about a hundred years ago, if he accounts for everything that's happened since.

It's not exactly the same, but it's similar in a way that resonates. Maybe there's just a lot of people out there who have to deal with this kind of thing.

It makes him wish he could do something to help. but what doesn't. ]

Yeah, I guess war has a way of making things complicated. Not that your life probably wasn't already complicated? [ Pretty sure life is like always 100% in complication flux. ] You know, I can't exactly say I was there or anything.

[ sam laughs lightly, endeared. ]

Life's always a little complicated in one way or a million others. But war?

[ he gives a low whistle, a slight shake of his head. ]

It's its own beast, and one that isn't housetrained or generally fond of people.

Oh, that's a good way to put it! Super worldly. I like it. [ 4 for you, Sam. Bolin could understand what you even meant. He knew that facial hair was a good indicator. ] Sorry you kinda got dragged out of your metaphorical beast-taming retirement for all this, though. I mean, at least you'll get to see what people from different worlds think about your question. That's pretty great! A lot of the people here are really friendly.

[ The Drabwurld may not always be good, but the people are definitely mostly great. It's science. ]

No kidding.

[ 'really friendly' like what, bolin is one of the cutest people sam's ever come across. so much grinning. ]

It'd weird to think I might actually be grateful for being put into another war, but hey. Like you said, it's an opportunity. Where else would we be able to bump knuckles?

You do have to think around the war a little. [ Wwwwell. He holds one hand up and drops his chin. ] Sometimes a lot, I won't lie. Knuckle-bumping helps. Hopefully not while you're actually warring, though, because that would be. Awkward. But still! Positives are a pretty big deal.

[ Does he even know what the knuckle bumping is all about. Who can say. But the principle remains. ]

Positivity is key, man, especially while you're warring. In all that fighting, your head can get caught up in the anger and the aggression of it. When I don't wanna lose myself to it, I look for a friend.

[ for the knuckle bumping. he will teach you gently, kohai. ]

Okay, see, finally someone gets it! Your approach is the key to about... I don't wanna say a hundred percent of getting through stuff, but definitely more than half. If you spend the whole day thinking about how much you hate everything, time is really gonna start to drag on you.

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