Give once more to the one before (Memorial Day) (Buddhism, America, quote)
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Today is Memorial Day. As it is a day of the dead, wishing someone Happy Memorial Day doesn't seem quite right. As I thought what could be a proper way to make this day, I had a bit of insight.
Not to trash one's world, a world that so many fought and died to provide. I certainly have my temptations of debauchery, that often have their "justification" of, "oh, come on, everyone is doing it" or "what difference will it make, who is going to care?", and looking at it as a way to trash one's fought for, died for world, does make it easier to resist.
Just an observation that others might find useful though other insights would be nice, too. Let's keep it out of the specifics for then it becomes much too easy to be political.
Today is Memorial Day. As it is a day of the dead, wishing someone Happy Memorial Day doesn't seem quite right. As I thought what could be a proper way to make this day, I had a bit of insight.
Not to trash one's world, a world that so many fought and died to provide. I certainly have my temptations of debauchery, that often have their "justification" of, "oh, come on, everyone is doing it" or "what difference will it make, who is going to care?", and looking at it as a way to trash one's fought for, died for world, does make it easier to resist.
Just an observation that others might find useful though other insights would be nice, too. Let's keep it out of the specifics for then it becomes much too easy to be political.
One of the paths my wife and I follow when walking is through a nearby cemetery, and we like that they planted little American flags on the graves of veterans -- honoring not just the fallen, but those who served generally. We do not like or celebrate war but we can still recognize that many made a noble sacrifice to provide for the common defense.
Saying "Happy Memorial Day" does seem to be rather disrespectful. I've thought about that before too. I don't know what else could be properly said to express the braveness and honor the fallen, who fought for this country. But it shouldn't be "happy".
It's not happy at all. Pride, honor and respect for those who sacrificed everything should be somber. But I still don't know what else could be said in it's place.
"Give once more to the one before" is a line out of a Conan Comic (Vol 1, #54, Sept 1975) but it is my philosophy of mercy in that "As someone once did for me, I shall now do for you" and it seemed it could apply here, perhaps more in its original meaning.
When I talked to my older Brother last night in our weekly phone call, he said how he had gone that morning to the cemetery to reflect. Absolutely no argument there, just the kind of thing that is not in my makeup, visiting burial grounds.
Better to remember annually than not at all......if not more frequently than just annually.
Saying "Happy Memorial Day" does seem to be rather disrespectful. I've thought about that before too. I don't know what else could be properly said to express the braveness and honor the fallen, who fought for this country. But it shouldn't be "happy".
It's not happy at all. Pride, honor and respect for those who sacrificed everything should be somber. But I still don't know what else could be said in it's place.
Well stated.
I don't think it's an intentional disrespect, which in Buddhist terms means it's not a source of negative karma. But it does seem to be an unawareness of what the day is really about. Unfortunately, to many it has just become another holiday...the start of summer.
Years ago, when I was still living in the D.C. area I had 'the day' off, of course, and I just decided to go into the city into the memorials area and ended up at the World War II Memorial. That's when it hit me that it was Memorial Day, as I saw all the photos and written tributes people had posted around the memorial about their fathers or grandfathers. It was very moving because it really personalized it. And after that, for as long as I lived in the area, I made it a yearly trek on Memorial Day.
I don't think it's an intentional disrespect, which in Buddhist terms means it's not a source of negative karma. But it does seem to be an unawareness of what the day is really about. Unfortunately, to many it has just become another holiday...the start of summer.
Years ago, when I was still living in the D.C. area I had 'the day' off, of course, and I just decided to go into the city into the memorials area and ended up at the World War II Memorial. That's when it hit me that it was Memorial Day, as I saw all the photos and written tributes people had posted around the memorial about their fathers or grandfathers. It was very moving because it really personalized it. And after that, for as long as I lived in the area, I made it a yearly trek on Memorial Day.
I think that's great that you had a tradition like that....and for all the right reasons. It is heart-breaking but you're right, so many do not even know what it represents. I got to go somewhere else in the forums but I really appreciate the information you have provided about Buddhism.
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