I saw a lot of Facebook posts about September 11 today. Clearly, this is an event most of us will never forget and will likely always remember with a touch of pain in our hearts. The world was altered forever that day.
But I felt mixed about so many of the posts I read and news stories about the tributes people had planned.
Please don't get me wrong. Especially for those whose hearts were broken by the loss of loved ones, these tributes are very much necessary and appropriate. For someone like me who was a naive college student at the time, a safety net I didn't even realize was there was torn in two that day. We must take a moment to remember on a day like this the blessings that come from living in a free country.
I struggle though because I sometimes feel patriotism comes in waves. We clearly feel a special touch of love for our country on days like today, yet I seem to notice growing numbers of people who don't place their hand over their heart when the flag goes by in a Fourth of July Parade. We post little Facebook flags on a day of heartfelt remembrance, but I think many treat Memorial Day as a good time for a barbecue instead of an opportunity to thank a veteran. Or, we do fly flags on the Fourth of July, but make a terrible issue of saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school.
I find it all a little perplexing, and I'm not sure whether I mostly appreciate tributes like I saw today, or I feel mildly annoyed.
Patriotism is important to me because I have relatives who have fought in five different wars. Like many people who have veterans in their family, I greatly appreciate their sacrifices that keep me home and safe blogging at my computer whenever my fingers itch to start typing. I wonder if my family veterans and others like them feel appreciated as often as they deserve.
I hope my husband and I are able to instill a spirit of patriotism in our boys. I want them to pay attention any time a flag goes by, to know that Memorial Day is more than an extra day off. I want them to have a spirit of community service and country loyalty that surfaces more than on special holidays. It's important. I want and need to demonstrate more gratitude for my freedoms to my children.
I want them to remember patriotism on a day like today, and make sure they don't forget it by the time September 12 rolls around.
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1 Comments:
I agree with you. It's sad to say that majority of us don't show our patriotism. We are too busy fighting amongst ourselves about our differences. It takes something catastrophic to remind us of what we take for granted every day. We are all different but that is what makes this country so great. It shouldn't take something as horrific as 9/11 to bring us together as a nation. As the wife of a US soldier, I have a deep appreciation for what our soldiers, firefighters, and law enforcement do. They sacrifice so much for us every single day, and most Americans have no idea what they go through. Any time I see a soldier it fireman or officer I thank them for what they do. They truly are the brick layers and are constantly watching our nations foundation.
Evon
Http://evon-von.blogspot.com
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