Veteran Hospital Visit

[Disturbed]

I could go to a nearby Veteran's Hospital and visit with the wounded from Iraq and Afhganistan but I don't feel that I could handle seeing them. I was strongly against these illegal invasions from the start and am still angry that the US forces are still there on behalf of the Multi-Corps,Military-Industrial Complex. I know these invasion were not in the least about bringing democracy to these countries. I would feel bad for the wounded and awkward about meeting them. I realize that most of them were doing their job and probably felt that what they were doing was for my benefit and America's. Still, I can't bring myself to go visit them.

Honestly, I don't feel anythng about the soldiers that have been killed in either of those countries. I can't muster up sympathy or empathy for them even for their families. I know that I should but the feelings just aren't there. Same goes for the people living in those countries, maimed &/or the dead. Guess, I have been deadened/numbed over many years of seeing death on TV, films and zines. I have actually been in rooms with dead people that I had seen alive. I worked in a hospital briefly. I didn't feel anything then either. I have never experienced anyone's death that I care about yet so I don't know how I will react to that.

Am I a freak or do any of the readers feel the same way or similar?

[blm]

1. Pretty odd, imo. Won't even ponder that mindset.

.

[Sugarbleus]

2. I don't know what, if any, issues you have but

feelings can certainly reverse when one loses some living thing that is extremely close to them. It's called love and empathy.

I couldn't shed a tear for 20 years. I looked at death and mayhem and it didn't sink in much. I was "FROZEN" emotionally--just plain numb.

At some point, life got sooooooooooooo hard for me that my emotions broke through; first with anger, then the tears came and THEN I began to look around at others and KNOW what they were going through..I began to feel again. I don't show empathy nor cry at every turn, but I can really truely FEEL for many more people than before. Soon, I began to love animals; then my stray cat was smashed by some ahole mad driver..I wept..DEEPLY. Then a close relative that we were so counting on for our future passed away from a long bought with Leukemia. I NEVER FELT SO MUCH SORROW IN ALL MY LIFE...I didn't even know what sorrow was. My life became so empty, my future so dim without this relative. I miss him still.

My daughter was in Gulf War I..THAT freaked me out to no end..I couldn't eat or sleep or turn the TV off. She made it back but I have a sincere empathy with other families who have soldiers shaking in their boots in a far away land. I KNOW what they feel, I can rejoice with them when things go well, I can weep with them when they lose.

Because of HARDSHIP, I learned about life. I do things that would otherwise freak me out--like go to visit the sick and the homeless and other people in distress--because no man is an island........we need each other. I don't cry at every single thing; I'm not that sensitive but I can FEEL what it's like to be alive--in good times and bad times. For that I thank my lucky stars! Peace~

[Mick Knox]

3. Then do them a real favor and dont visit them nt

[specimenfred1984]

4. If You Don't Know Them, It's Pretty Normal

as long as you're not wishing anyone harm. How can we feel all the pain or happiness of all mankind; it's impossible.

Give yourself a break and don't visit until you feel like it. Get some therapy if you feel like it. Respect for others begins inside yourself, you probably already know that corny piece of wisdom.

I like what the other poster said, try loving a pet or something other than people, people can be so darn complex and that's overwhelming a lot of the time.

My nextdoor neighbor is in the M.E. now, he's a good friend. Consider yourself lucky that you don't feel what I feel daily, not to mention his family members. Seriously, so many other people have horrible existences, sometimes feeling blank is a blessing.