Memorial Day Weekend

In an ever changing world it is great to have roots. Things that ground us and things for us to contemplate. It is a pretty safe assumption that all things are Not remembered and, if they are, not remembered equally or in the same way. 

For instance, let's take my siblings. If you ask any of us about a memory of a certain event in our childhood, even though we were all there, the memories are different for each of us. They are tied together by truths, by threads of own emotions and our perception of events, some factual and some simply our view of what we perceived to be as facts. It does not mean that we are "wrong" but rather different in our own way of thinking because it affected us as individuals - differently.

Same goes with history.

This weekend, I have been watching documentaries on the different wars that our country has fought in. They were gruesome, long and long suffering. So many lives were lost. The tumultuous times brought about change in our way of thinking, how we respond now as opposed to then, it brought freedoms at a cost so high none of us really can embrace unless you have lived it. The perceptions back then as opposed to what they were then has also changed.

It really gave me food for thoughte about how our times change and what that means to how we think now as to what we thought then. As an American people we have grown in some things but I feel we have lost some things too. During the days past, people stood up for what they believed in and it came from a place of morals and values, from folks that had a strong sense of right and wrong. Watching the videos on tv, I had a sense of responsibility from those that fought, a sense of pride for our country and support of those that stepped up...or at least some of the time. Yes, I am speaking of Vietnam and the way our loved ones were treated when they came home.

Let's not concentrate on that, at the moment, though.

Through the years there have been monuments, walls, statues, etc., to remind us of our history, right and wrong. Peoples perceptions have changed. We see things some differently  We have evolved as a people group. Now, people that our country fought Against are our next door neighbor, our boss or maybe even a family member. They quit becoming the enemy. We loved. We fought. We lost. We grew. We overcame. Right or wrong - it happened.

As you look around this weekend, embrace the fact that people fought for our freedom to speak freely, to Think freely, and yes- to write freely. It came at a cost. A huge one. Say thank you to a veteran instead of tearing down monuments or statues because you simply do not agree. Whether that time represents a "right" or a "wrong" in your opinion, embrace the fact that others felt strongly enough that it cost lives...a precious commodity. Build something of your own and erect it. Leave the monuments, statues and other things alone. Embrace the past. embrace history. Those are the things that made us who we are today.

Personally, I have many family members that stood up... and are still doing so, for things they believe in or have believed in. I do not always agree but I choose Love. I choose support.

I choose history! It matters.