Sunday, May 29, 2016

The One Where Sobel screwed up his own suicide

I'm watching Band of Brothers. Yes. Again. Seems timely.
Just now, I'm thinking of Herbert Sobel, Easy Company's original CO, who was so entrenched in his resentment of Dick Winters' success that he tanked his own career.
This guy ended up fouling up his own suicide and lived out his days in a VA assisted living facility. Blind. Sad. Alone.
How much better might his life have been had he, instead of resenting Winters and attempting to sabotage him at every turn, worked harder to make himself better? Figure out where he was going wrong and fix it? Hell, maybe even befriend Winters and learn from him? Winters certainly never (from the reports of all who served with and under him as well as his family and, well, everybody) thought of himself as superior to Sobel and probably would have been happy to help Sobel improve his tactical skills and guide him in relating to his men in a less schmuck-like way.
My prayer in life is to strive for Winters and NOT be Sobel.