Dear Soldier
It is an honour and a privilege to address you today.
Your mere presence ensures we have a normal life, everyday. In my history class at school, I learnt about many Battles, World Wars, Kings and Queens, Kingdoms won and lost… but at the bottom of each was you. A soldier!
From giving your blood, toil and word to sacrificing your life, it’s the soldier who has ensured the survival of a race, a society, philosophy and ideals or the sovereignty of Royals.
Rana Pratap, Prithviraj Chauhan, Rani Lakshmibai, or even Alexander though highly accomplished individuals, who have inspired poets and warriors galore nevertheless were soldiers first and foremost. As you know well yourself, a soldier, an accomplished soldier too can not be an island unto one’s ownself. Every soldier needs other soldiers to not only defend their Motherland but to team up with, to fight battles.
Defending the nation from the enemies across borders is no longer the sole task. The enemy is infiltrating these borders, and targeting innocent, unarmed civilians, thus creating a very different scenario, where the enemy is disguised as a fellow citizen who follows no humanitarian code. The battle is now at times in peaceful areas and taken off the battlefields.
In our country itself, wherever I turn I see, soldiers are not just defending the physical borders but also lending a helping hand in all kinds of accidents and crisis. Somewhere there is a riot, call the soldiers… somewhere there is a flood, call the soldiers… somewhere there is a problem, call the soldiers. So, we are encouraged deeply to see you march through deserted lanes in cities ripped apart by mobs, or evacuating people after floods. Your mere presence emboldens us. And you dear soldier unlike in any other job work 24X7 with no off days.
Hats off to your daunting spirit and discipline. Since you put service to nation first and foremost, followed by the well being of the soldiers you command, while you put your own self last. I admire your family, who lend a helping hand so that you can stick to your values and ideals, taking care of themselves in your absence, giving you not much reason to divert your attention from your task.
I have met you on lonely bunkers on tops of steep, inhospitable mountains keeping watch, while your feet are in knee deep water, absolutely alert.
I have met you under the hot sun of the desert, in sandy coves, observing the horizons, without flinching. Deep under sea, in watery caves, I have met you listening and watching for anything unusual, lest the enemy slip in surreptitiously.
However to be fighting fit at all times, what probably I or others like me may not notice are the thousands of hours you spend in training. Training your body, mind and spirit. You come from the same society of people that you defend. What makes you so different? What makes you a force to reckon with?
Is it commitment? Is it discipline? Is it a mindset? Or simply a love for your nation so strong, nothing can extinguish it?
I promise to be a citizen worthy of all your efforts and dedication. May God keep you safe!
Jai Hind!
Yours sincerely
A citizen of your nation
Photo: Photo by Intricate Explorer on Unsplash
“This post is a part of ‘Scribbled and Sealed Blog Hop’ hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters
Well said. For all that they do, we certainly need to feel gratitude and make their sacrifices worth it. I too wonder what makes a soldier stand apart from ordinary citizens. It must be love for the motherland above everything else.
Thanks Janaki for your endorsement! You reiterate my assumption.
It’s all of them, I believe: a commitment, a mindset, and a discipline.
Good you thought of writing a letter like this. We live in a troubled world where soldiers face a lot of challenges.
Thank you! The world is changing and is in turmoil, what was black and white yesterday is grey today. The clearly defined enemies one fought battles with on a clear battlefield yesterday is a battle within with no clarity of either the enemy, or the field.
Reading this felt so real, just a gentle reminder of the unseen sacrifices soldiers make every day.
Yes, its a gentle reminder lest we forget!
Such a heart-felt letter. The way you expressed gratitude it feels you expressed each one of us. Thank you for the thought-provoking question at the end..
Your words honour the steadfast spirit behind every sacrifice, reminding us that bravery is often both daunting and deeply human! 😇
You summed it so well Anusha! Bravery is deeply daunting and humane! Thank you!
Such a beautiful letter to a soldier. The truth has been expressed in the most heartfelt way. We owe our soldiers more than we can ever repay. The least we can do is honor and remember them.
The unsung heroes got the limelight they deserve. If we individually decide to be civilized people, half of their load will be taken care of. Thank you for penning this, kudos. Jai Hind…
Isn’t it Nilshree? Their efforts, sacrifices and service will all be justified if all of us remember to bring out the best in ourselves. Thanks for your appreciation!
Soldiers put the nation first, even before their families. There is only gratitude that we can offer them for all that they do to protect us all, living perilous lives in the most arduous of terrains. A beautiful letter that says it all, thank you!
Thanks Deepti for your understanding and gratitude!
This is such a heartfelt note to soldiers. They are the real saviours, in times of need and always.
A beautiful letter to all the bravehearts out there who protect and save us as and when duty calls and beyond that.
What a beautiful ode to those who have kept us safe and alive for ages, and continue to do.
Loved that last line ‘to be citizen worthy of your efforts and dedication’ because that’s the least we can do since we can’t all be brave soldiers.
such a beautiful ode to the army and the lone soldier who selfelessly put themselves in this line. It’s a damn hard job and yes,the training you mention. Worth mentioning.