Distractions from home

Thanks Philip Barr for your Blog.
hiarmymuseumsoc.org

I did wonder while reading "Things That They Carried" if Lt. Jimmy Cross would get rid of his letters. Jimmy burned the letters because he came to realize that his "love" for Martha became a distraction from his focus on leading his men at war. Jimmy felt responsible for Lavender's death because he felt that his thoughts were more focused on Martha and home, rather than being focused on his troops and the tasks at hand. In consequence of this, he decides to burn the letters and start acting like a responsible leader. He seems to realize, however, that he was still able think of Martha even though he burned her letters and photographs from home.
"...when he thought about Martha, it would be only to think that she belonged elsewhere. He would shut down the daydreams. This was not [home], it was another world...." Lt. Cross was thus able to move on to reality. This rather disciplined him into being a soldier, and making soldiers out of the men he was leading. "He would not tolerate laxity. He would show strength, distancing himself."
I can relate to this, because during my mission I allowed letters from a girl who was writing to me become a distraction. Now I never burned or threw the letters, but I came to realize and learned that I needed to re-evaluate what it meant to be a missionary and not allow tedious things distract me form doing the Lord's work.