Nightglow Window

The Breaking Point

I’ve written elsewhere about my love for the HBO miniseries Band Of Brothers. It rules. Rent it if you haven’t already seen it.

One episode in particular has been on my mind lately.

Episode Seven, “The Breaking Point” takes place in December in the cold, snowy forests outside of the tiny town of Foy in Belgium. What's striking is just how suddenly this bleak, atmospheric setting becomes hell on earth.

There is no warning before the German artillery shells rain in. Trees shatter. Bodies are blown apart. Nowhere is completely safe, but a deep foxhole improves your survival odds more than a smidge.

I remember watching the episode for the first time. I was getting a little frustrated with the men of Easy Company. “Why don’t you dig the foxholes deeper?” I huffed at the TV. “Why aren’t you better prepared?”

But recently I finally understood that it isn’t always that simple.

Sometimes the shells just rain in. There isn’t time to dig deep into the earth and hide – nor is that the best strategy when you need to be ready for other challenges and opportunities that come your way.

So you hunker down the best you can and wait for the barrage to pass. You hope, knowing that sometimes the shell is just going to land on you. There’s nothing you can do to stop it.

Other times you’re left unscathed. The forest returns to its peaceful silence, and you let out that nervous laugh of the fortunate few.