New Church Life Jan/Feb 2014 | Page 67

The Inspiration of the Navy SEALs Bonnie G. Frazier W e’ve heard a lot, lately, about the Navy SEALs, and many of us admire their skill, their bravery, and their dedication to service. In the recent past I’ve had the opportunity to spend a little time, socially, with some of these fine young men, and the experience has caused me to reflect on another, surprising, quality they seem to share. They have about them a sphere of peace. At one level they’re what you would expect – proud, fun-loving and indeed a little boisterous, but, beyond that, they exhibit a gentle peace that is hard to reconcile with what they have seen and what they have done. They are warriors, but they are neither hard nor rough. Instead they exude a sweet i