At a time when no luck was found. I got lucky. I got what others didn’t, a happy life. I know it may sound cliche
Many topics from "The Things They Carried" are still relevant today, the constant theme is the horrors of war, and how they affect ill-prepared men, both physically and mentally. Many of the items they carry are symbolic as well as practical, used as a reflection of their own battles, and serve as a bridge between their fantasy world and reality.
Ultimately, their psychological baggage becomes the hindrance that leads them to their death.