Selah: A Time to Pause and Remember a Hero's Birthday

On this Friday Night Thought Tale Hour at the Henderson's, I find myself at the end of the week where I took a pause. I just knew, as I sat in the hot tub under an umbrella with softly pouring rain around me, that it was time for a 'Selah moment' ("to stop and fully consider")in my life. We had just finished a day of Memorial Observances at the cemetery where Seth is buried, and while it is a beautiful and honor filled ceremony, I felt drained from every sinew of my soul. It had been an eventful six-week period, as it often is. In past years, I have dove headlong into the next project or prelude, but this year, I needed to take a respite. I considered just letting this Friday pass with a quiet drink and no Thought Tale to share. I know you would have understood. But then, I recalled that it was the weekend before the birthday of Lucas 'Star' Starcevich, a young soldier I only know through the shared memories of his family and friends.

And just like that, I knew that this was the way I wanted to celebrate my 'Selah moment.'

By remembering a real American hero who fully considered his pauses, then moved forward.

Lucas would have been 35 years old this Monday, June 6th -  the anniversary of D-Day. His life is celebrated around the globe through the memories of his family and friends. He was KIA on April 16, 2007, by a roadside bomb and ensuing firefight. 

We did not personally know Lucas “Star” Starcevich in life. Our families became friends after the death of our son brought his mother, Ava, to pay respects at the visitation. Over the last eight years, we have gotten to know Luke through his family, his friends and his legacy of service. Everything we have learned about him tells us that he was born with the mind and spirit of a soldier. He was an ordinary guy, but he wanted to be in places where the extraordinary go. Lucas served one tour in Iraq, came home and tried to make it as a civilian. But he found himself unsatisfied with the regular life and joined up to return to the more irregular life - another tour in Iraq.

He could have just stayed home, and attempted 'normal' life, but he chose his calling.

Selah.

While we all know that clearly there was a sad ending to this chapter in his life, there was lots of happiness and fulfillment during this time too. He met a beautiful young woman and became engaged. He traveled more of the world and saw things he’d only imagined. He made friendships with people that will last throughout their lives. And through it all, he kept an attitude of humor to help somehow lighten the darkness of war that surrounded him and his fellow soldiers. He did this by the use of a Sock Monkey that they inserted into several situations that many of us would find terrifying and ugly. “Won Hung Lo,” as they referred to him, was that regular part of life that Luke inserted into the irregular.

I like to think of people like Luke as being 

good for that. 

They bring us the reminder that even if it feels or seems irregular, it’s all just another day in the life of living what you are called to be. 

Selah.

Like Lucas, when you are following your true calling, everything finds a way to fit. You don't blend into the

scenery or the group picture - your energetic passion won't allow for that. And when you are called to take action, even those actions that might bring you harm, you think nothing of it. Because it's just what you do. Anything else would seem empty.

I thought of Lucas this week when I read this quote:

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.” 

~Rumi

Selah.

So tonight, we relax in our regular surroundings and toast to the birth of one soldier who helped us feel safe knowing he was out there doing his job. Star is now gone from this world, but he remains an example of unwavering courage to find your calling that will inspire us forever. We will drink what I hear is a Lucas favorite: a Gin and Tonic, chased by a shot of Jagger. One drink will be enough to toast one person we will never forget. CHEERS FRIENDS!