If you want to change the world, make your bed

Nov 27, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

I heard a great speech from a war veteran, called “If you want to change the world, make your bed.” I must admit that at first I thought that it was a silly idea.
However, I was reminded of an experience that I had returning from Iraq. I was in Kuwait waiting for a plane to take me to America.
As I was waiting, a sergeant told me to button up my shirt. I became angry at him for ordering me to do such a simple task as buttoning up my shirt.
Editor, why was I angry with a simple order to button up my shirt? It was because I felt that he wasn’t aware of the difficulty I had experienced during my time in Iraq. He wasn’t aware that I almost lost my mind and life during my time in Iraq. He wasn’t aware that I had personally felt that the war was making me feel like a monster. He wasn’t aware that I saw things that no one should have to see.
He wasn’t aware that I saw a two year old boy blown up and his entire family die. He was the lone survivor. He wasn’t aware that I had become numb and detached from everything and everyone in order to survive.
He wasn’t aware that I was losing my mind, hope and reasons to live. When that sergeant ordered me to button up my shirt, he wasn’t aware that I had just came out of hell. Years passed, and I was still angry with him.
But now I understood that the sergeant was trying to teach me that even if I felt like I had been in hell, if I want to change the world, I must button up my shirt.
When I am able to button up in spite of, I will never let my hardships, change or define who I’m am. I am a warrior, soldier and veteran.

It wasn’t until today that I understood the importance of buttoning up my shirt after listening to the speech mentioned. The lesson learned is that making your bed helps to accomplish a small task and if you accomplish the small task, you will succeed at accomplishing the big tasks.

Simply put, if you want to change the world, button up and make your bed.

Anthony Pantlitz