Veterans' Day Assembly

On Thursday the 9th, we have an assembly to celebrate for all of the veterans and the men and women who serve in the military. Today is a day to be thankful for every single person who was or is in the military currently. We from Henderson Bay High thank all the people in the military who have served or who are currently still serving.
Today John Webb spoke to us about the time he served and gave us a little backstory on his life. He was in the military, first starting out in the Marine Corp, and moved onto the Army after that. He came and spoke to us about our identity and what our purpose in life was.

When he was growing up, like all of us in our lives of growing up, we all have difficulties that we have to work through. Struggling in life is something that is very hard, such examples are as if you were/are poor, lost family, or if you are alone, or even don’t know when or where your next meal is coming. John came from a tough life just like most of us, he grew up poor, so most of us understand what that life is like. With how difficult this was for him, he couldn’t find anything to make him happy, he couldn’t find happiness.

When he reached into his teens, he still did not find the happiness he was looking for, and his mother got paid by cleaning people's homes. John wasn’t very happy with going and helping scrub people's toilets. But as he was doing so, he did find happiness, he found happiness serving his mother. Just by helping her out do work, that is where he found his happiness, and he wanted to continue on with that happiness.

By the time he joined the military, he started learning more of his purpose in life. Again he started off in the Marine Corp for four years, moved onto the Army for six years, and then different organizations in Iraq for another four years. When he was being trained he learned that his purpose in life wasn’t just helping his family and friends, it was to help anyone he can help. While being trained he learned discipline and learned about brotherhood, that after training hard and fighting harder alongside them, they become your brothers. While John served in Iraq he didn’t know why he was there, then after being there he learned he was there to help the orphans and widows. And after a while, he became a custom with them and the hospitality they gave. He was built up more by the military and was happy with what he has done for everyone he can there.

Our identity comes from what kind of person we are inside, or our personality, and what we are willing to do. John has two important rules he shared that he would like us to follow.

1. Be courageous. Now that doesn’t mean you don't have to be afraid, you can't be afraid, you are just overcoming your fear.
2. Do what's right in front of you. When John went to Iraq  he helped all the orphans and widows that were there, he did what was right in front of him, and not setting them aside.
3. 
   

There is also a quote i took from his speech, which i find fascinating,

“Happiness in life isn’t what you get, it is what you give away.”

Happiness is not about how we get it, its how we give it away to others. And it is something everyone deserves.

We thank you John, for coming to us and talking about your experience and sharing your story.
We again Thank you for coming.

​                                                     ~Jai