There’s No War Hero Without Trauma

Within every war hero, there’s always trauma.

To face the fire and develop what it takes to come out on the other side, you’re going to pick up a few scars along the way.

When passing on the capacity of heroism, the trauma of war is necessarily projected as well. Survivors’ descendants not only inherent the behaviour and beliefs that furthered the heroism of their triumph, but they also inherit the scars of war that come from seeing the belly of the beast.

Most people’s families can be traced back through wars, social conflicts, and political unrest. People today are not disconnected from the historical tragedies of our past — we come from them. We are shaped by these tragedies. While millions died, the ones that survived are those that produced you.

From a Darwinian evolutionary perspective, you are the result of the very best. Great kings and queens of the past are your direct ancestors. The blood of heroes flows through your veins. The survivors of your culture’s past have produced you — all your strength and all your weakness. You’ve inherited what allowed them to thrive, but you’ve also inherited the trauma of what had to be done to survive.

Psychologist Carl Jung said that “No tree can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.”

The hell in your core is not a deficiency, but the source of your greatness. In the words of Nietzsche, “You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.”

Nurture your chaos. Forgive your hell. An unbroken chain of life has passed the torch to you to hold high. It’s in your blood to triumph and reach new heights. The heroes of old have produced you, but you also carry their tragedy and trauma. Your darkness is not a unique flaw of your character, but a shadow cast by your light.