Below is a short extract from the book “Eisenhower: A Soldier’s Life” by Carlo D’Este. I must have probably read this part of the book about a year ago while crouching down next to my suitcase somewhere at the airport. It is basically a thorough and focused chronicle of Eisenhower’s military years leading up to the surrender of Germany WWII 1945. At the time he had no combat experience but wanted to command troops. However, my intention is not to evaluate Eisenhower’s WWII leadership skills. In fact, the paragraph below depicts an exchange between the General Bernard Law Montgomery (Monty) and one of the soldiers. His words made an unparalleled impact on me.

          “The bad old days are over,” he said. “A new era has dawned.” Issuing perhaps his most famous order, Montgomery threw down the gauntlet by ordering all previous plans for retreat to be burned. “We will fight the enemy where we now stand; there will be no withdrawal and no surrender. If we cannot stay here alive, then let us stay here dead!” The impact was electric, his leadership unparalleled. His men willingly entrusted their lives to him. Consider this typical exchange between Monty and an infantry soldier: Asked what his most valuable possession was, he replied, “My rifle, Sir.” “No, it isn’t,” said Monty. “It’s your life, and I’m going to save it for you.” (Carlo D’Este, 2003, p.409, my italics).

Upon reading this, I raised my head to look around. I remember smirking, as the soldiers with rifles in my head became travellers holding on to their suitcases and duty-free bags. Then I saw her, a woman holding on to her phone, speaking to someone who I presumed to be her partner. She was in tears. “I miss you so much already,” I overheard her say. I couldn’t help but grab my chest as we both felt this pinching with the heart.  What was such a sterile environment had all of sudden become a battlefield of emotions. I too was missing someone. That’s when I had the strong impression that I was imagining myself to rule over an allegorised world in which heart-ship would roam Monty’s battlefields. There, Monty would ask me what my most valuable possession was. To which I replied, “My heart, Sir.” Much to my surprise, he then said, “No, it isn’t. It’s your life, and I’m not going to save it for you. I cannot. I’m dead, but you are not.” What a meanie Monty… 😉 But right “he” is!

What you do with your own life IS the true weapon. A rifle is useless when the bullet cannot pears a heart because it has been given away. When you place it into the hands of life, it WILL get bumps and bruises but that’s because it will have served to live— life. Love your life with all you’ve got, more than the heart itself. The heart wasn’t merely created for you to love and protect it. If you think this way, you’re underestimating its’ rebounding power. Remember, the heart is a muscle that pumps blood, but that very same muscle which gives us life can also lift us up to extremes in our existence of which our arms could never dream of pulling us up to.

On that note, Monty must surely be turning in his grave right now but hey, “This is life Spartan General.”