I’m Yours by Jason Mraz

As we meet here tonight, our men and women in uniform stand watch abroad and more are readying to deploy. To each and every one of them, and to the families who bear the quiet burden of their absence, Americans are united in sending one message: we honor your service, we are inspired by your sacrifice, and you have our unyielding support.
-Barack Obama

As one of my fellow teacher’s brother, a staff sergeant in the United States Army, answered questions from a group of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, I saw what Barack Obama described as the “quiet burden” in her eyes.

Home from Afghanistan for two weeks, the staff sargeant visited a group of students to talk to them about his experiences in the army. I’ve never heard someone currently in the military talk about his or her experiences in person. I hear people talk about on television all the time but there was something very different about this presentation.

He talked apolitically and his intentions were simple, to serve his country. This was a job and as he referred to the clothing that the men wore in Afghanistan as “man-jammies,” he reminded me that behind the training and discipline there was a man, not that different than myself or any of my friends.

The staff sergeant opened his presentation by playing a movie montage of pictures and video footage that he and some of his friends had put together for a guy in their unit who got shot in the leg and sent home. The pictures showed the daily life of the soldiers including their living quarter, going out on patrol and the unit’s dog (which seemed to be the most fascinating part of the presentation to the students). The movie had different songs in the background and the first song of the montage was “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz.

Now, without asking Jason Mraz himself, it seems fairly clear by the lyrics of “I’m Yours” were not intended to be a song about soldier fighting in Afghanistan. However, combined with the images in the montage the song became connected in my mind with the thoughts and feelings I experienced watching the images of American soldiers in Afghanistan.

“I’m Your” is a fun bouncy love song. The narrator is telling his love how he will not hesitate any more and give himself completely to the person that he loves. Mraz contrasts the nice lilt in the verses with a contemplative chorus. The funny thing is that as I listened to this song and watching the images of soldiers, my ear pulled out certain lines in the song that seemed to apply to the soldier experience that stuck with me.

“I fell right through the cracks, now I’m trying to get back.”

“And nothing’s going to stop me but divine intervention, I reckon it’s again my turn to win some or learn some.”

“Well open up your mind and see like me.”

“We’re just on big family, and it’s our God-forsaken right to be loved.”

I found myself holding back tears as these lines jumped out of the song to me. I imagined people younger then me looking out at the desert sky trying to get back home. In “divine intervention” we find our purpose but so does the other side and as much as we do win some, I hope we don’t lose any more. I don’t really know if I can see like a soldier but I try to get perspective and well, it’s just too much to think of.

The staff sergeant described the people of Afghanistan as being similar to us but it just seems so much easier to divide. Yes, there is the God-forsaken right to be loved, but by who, and with our concerns, not only with ourselves and our family how far does that love extend out?

After the video, he took some questions and a third grader girl asked “Have you ever been scared?” and without hesitation he answered “yes, I have been.” At that moment, I realized that I was scared as well.

Look, I’m not from military family, and I don’t really understand what it means to have someone that you love overseas fighting. I’m not someone who has a great grasp on worldwide politics or an in depth understanding on world history. I can’t really argue if wars are inevitable or whether we should be spending the amount of money that we do on the military.

All I know is that I can’t imagine my friends, let alone myself running into battle with 90 pounds of gear armed with a rifle and pistol fighting in a land across the world from the people I love. I look at my students and hope that they never have to face the challenges of a war when they grow up. World War II defined the “greatest generation” but part of me can’t help but wonder how much greater that generation would have been with over 400,000 Americans who died fighting for our freedom and the total of over 70 million human lives who died in the conflict worldwide. This lose is too much to comprehend but so is the loss of the brave soldier that I had the honor of meeting.

“I’m Your” last verse ends with “our time is short, this is our fate, I’m yours.” I know on some levels that we don’t really have power over the destiny of worldwide conflicts. Our time is short and if our duty that we take on is our fate, than a soldier’s path is in his or her control.

What we can’t forget is that every person over there is ours, not in the patriotic sense but in the human sense. These are our sons and daughter over there and sometimes I think we need to ignore the politics and convolution of these conflicts and remember that.

As we go about our lives, go to work, love our friends, the silent burden is for all of us to bear and in that, we’re truly are one big family.