All how you look at it

Yep, its supposedly wordless wednesday, and here I am doing 2 posts in one day.  I am a rebel.

Last night I was watching NCIS LA with the roomie and her oldest offspring.  (I still prefer the original, but the spin off is growing on me)

**Spoiler alert**

The perpatrator of the crime (who I will NOT refer to as "the bad guy") was a naval member whose job was compliling statistics on American KIA's, especially those killed in covert (black) ops.  He compiled the statistics using their service numbers (serial numbers?), not their names, because of the nature of their deaths.

He had two issues he kept emphasising - that these were HUMANS that were killed serveing their country, "names not numbers".

And that he kept requesting an active duty assignment ~ because that's what soldiers do, they fight ~ and kept getting told he was too good at what he did, too valueable to risk.  And that haunted him.

About this point in the show, while he was talking about his work, my roomie's kid says "Oh, he works with statistics, that's why he's crazy"


And I, before thinking, piped up "Actually, I think its more likely vicarious trauma survivor guilt, just based on how he is talking"


**blink**

**awkward silence**

OKayyyyy, everyone go back to watching TV now ....

I truly, truly appreciate how the producers, actors, and everyone involved in the episode presented the charachter.  While he could have been more developed, they did not feel the need to push it in anyone's face.  They type of people who will understand, likely did, and the type of people who wouldn't, didn't even catch on.

~~~~~~~~~

Later in the show, towards the end, the officer's girlfriend is talking to one of the NCIS agents, and says:  "Every time he applied for a posting, I prayed they'd say no . And they did. And it haunted him."

This was another truly well crafted moment, they didn't dwell on it, or hit the audience over the head with it.  Again, likely only understood by those that have "been there done that".

As much as we would like to keep our loved ones out of harm's way, keep them safe at home, it is not who they are, and we stifle them if we try.  If we truly love them, and want what is best for them, we have to let them do what they feel called to do.