We Are The Real Nights Watch

"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come."

―The Night's Watch oath

Set aside any whimsical notions of fantasy, cultural entertainment and cinematographic time passing. Come along with me to the land of myth, deep contemplation and admiration for the power of real service.

Every veteran has experienced declaring an official oath to a greater power. This begins our journey of real service. Upholding this oath installs our first value of Honor. I am making this comparative observation of the Nights Watch with that of our armed forces; Okay it may not be as dramatic as depicted in Game Of Thrones, but the essence, the underlying Truth of this archetype runs deep and powerfully through the veins of anyone who has served their country with Courage. The degree to which we pay tribute to this commitment of service, directly expresses itself in the level of respect and honor that is experienced in the culture at large, in this case the culture of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain.?

As a therapist, coach and mentor to young men making the transition into adulthood, I am repeatedly made aware of the serious void of meaning facing not only our young men, but the culture at large.?

My efforts at a one to one level, have profound individual effects on the outlook and perspective of the young men I support, but this is but a drop in the ocean when faced with the magnitude of this void.

It is my understanding that we are creatures of myth, story and narrative. We can unite entire populations with the right narrative; be it a fear based and cohersive narrative or a liberating and inspiring one.?

One of the other areas I focus my efforts and mission towards is addressing the other vast chasm of meaning, that of the Returning Warrior. Unlike those members of the Night’s Watch, veterans in our culture do eventually step off the wall, “take” a wife, father children and hold lands. But what they also take with them, are the scars, values and memories.?

Leaving behind the job, brotherhood, purpose and service, creates an incredibly challenging and insidious void that is taking the lives of far too many veterans. Statistics are great at making it tangible, but I want to go under the numbers, into the space of emotions, bellow that are values, bellow that still our beliefs.?

Change your beliefs and you will put into motion a transformative process of change in your life, regardless of background.?

Our most strongly held beliefs, that are mostly unconscious by the way, produce our core values. The military experience instills in us some robust beliefs structures (some call that brain washing- what ever works for you) that in turn give us powerful values we live and die by. But what happens outside of that culture? Who or what informs us or influences us even, to maintain our old values or adopt new ones? In the military I never once considered the Moloch problem for example; If someone is guaranteed to be selfish among us all, it might as well be me first. This virulant problem in a society driven by capitalism is but one of the fundamental differences experienced by veterans. Our old values of looking after number two first, are simply not going to work "off the wall". This is a common, tough adjustment veterans have experienced in a variety of ways. And I think this is one of the biggest adjustments to make, because at some level, we are being asked to be selfish, which goes against our deeply held value of Service.?

So what can be done? Firstly increase ones awareness. Awareness of the cultural landscape shift, the value clashes, and a bold understanding of what it means to be a member of “The Nights Watch”, in a modern context, and for those who have been and continue to be under the protection of our military, to appreciate the Nobility and Humility of the Returning Warrior. I mean beyond the poppy. I mean at a practical level for example employing veterans and respecting their value structures, not asking them to compromise them, and if you do that as an employer, I guarantee you shall experience one of the other treasured values, that of Loyalty.?

So long as there are borders, countries, differing cultures, limited resources and dictatorships that outgrow their own borders, we will need a military force. Wether it’s concerning foreign or domestic threats, the last line of defence are our brave men and women that stand on that wall. I ask nothing of anyone from this article, I am simply using this as a small flame to guide those that need it, back to a place of meaning. Back to a place of purpose. Back to a place of inner peace.

“From this day to the ending of the world, we in it shall be remembered, we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother”

- Shakespeare