I like war.

Hearken, O children of the future, to the words of Chris Kyle, a man whose path was steeped in the fires of war and whose soul was shaped by its harshest trials. He uttered the words, "I like war." At first, these words may seem unsettling, for who among us would speak so readily of a force that brings pain, suffering, and destruction? But within them lies a deeper truth, a revelation of the human spirit and the nature of conflict that transcends the surface. War is not a simple matter of battles and bloodshed; it is the crucible in which the essence of a man—or a nation—is tested and forged.

Chris Kyle, the legendary Navy SEAL, speaks not of war’s brutality or its horrors, but of something else entirely—the clarity that war can bring. For a warrior such as he, combat is not merely the clash of arms, but the forging of purpose. In the chaos of the battlefield, where life and death hang in the balance, one’s resolve is tested. In that moment, the world narrows, and the warrior is faced with only what matters most—survival, duty, and honor. It is in this crucible that some men, like Kyle, find a sense of purpose and identity. War, in its rawest form, strips away the distractions of the world, and leaves only the essence of a man, standing firm in the face of overwhelming odds.

Reflect, O children, on the story of the Spartan warriors, those legendary men who stood in defense of their homes and their way of life. In the Battle of Thermopylae, a mere 300 men faced the might of the Persian Empire. Their leader, King Leonidas, stood tall, not because he was immune to fear, but because he embraced the challenge with a heart of resolve. These warriors did not "like" war in the conventional sense, but they understood the honor that it brought, the deep purpose found in the struggle. They knew that their sacrifice would shape the course of history, and in that moment, they became more than men—they became symbols of courage and sacrifice.

Yet, in Kyle’s words, we are confronted with a reality that many do not wish to see: for some, war is not a mere tragedy to be mourned, but a reality to be understood deeply. In war, there is no room for illusion. There is no place for doubt. It is a space where fate and choice intertwine, where the consequences of actions are immediate and profound. In the words of Sun Tzu, the great strategist: "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." It is this opportunity that men like Kyle speak of—the chance to find one’s true self, to rise to the occasion, and to wield strength in the face of the greatest adversity.

But I do not ask you to romanticize the horrors of war, O children. No, it is crucial to understand the deeper lesson beneath Kyle’s words. War is not the goal, but a reflection of human nature—our capacity for both creation and destruction. Those who are drawn to it are often shaped by their circumstances, by their sense of duty, or by the desire to protect what they love. Kyle does not glorify war itself; he speaks of a calling, a moment when the world demands the utmost from a man, and the man answers, not with reluctance, but with a fierce clarity.

Now, let us turn to the lesson that lies beneath these words. War, in its most primal sense, is the testing ground of the spirit. In the chaos of conflict, we discover what we are truly made of, and in that discovery, we often find strength, purpose, and a deeper connection to our values. But this lesson is not confined to the battlefield, O children. Life itself is a form of battle. Whether you are facing the trials of adversity, the storms of doubt, or the challenges that life places before you, you must meet them with the same clarity and resolve that the warrior faces his foes.

Kyle’s words, though blunt, remind us of this fundamental truth: there are moments in life that demand everything from us, when we are called to stand firm, to fight, and to embrace the struggle. Do not shy away from these moments, for in them lies the chance to grow, to become what you are meant to be. You may not "like" the battles you face, but like the warrior, you must face them with all the strength you possess. Victory, however it is defined, comes not to those who avoid conflict, but to those who face it with courage and clarity of purpose.

And so, children of the future, I leave you with this: in all things, be prepared for the battles ahead, whether they are fought with swords or with the strength of your will. Do not fear conflict, for it is in conflict that we are shaped and made whole. Whether you find yourselves on the field of war or in the quieter struggles of life, remember that it is the spirit of the warrior—the one who embraces the challenge—who will rise to greatness. In the end, it is not war that we seek, but victory—victory over the forces that would pull us down, and victory over the doubts that hold us back. Embrace the challenges of life, for they are the crucibles in which the greatest men and women are forged.