"Today is a new day and I am glad in it."
Holding memories whether good or bad is natural for all of us, but do you lose out on new opportunities by choosing your actions and reactions based on the past? Do you create a greater gap to joy by holding grudges for what has gone before?
Have you found yourself holding back on inspiration because of past failures? Do you stop yourself before you offer love or friendship because of past disloyalty? Have you tried to recapture a beautiful memory, only to be disappointed in the current result, and then found the beauty of the previous moment disminished?
How is your past affecting today? If yesterday was filled with sorrow, guilt, challenges, or pain, do you expect the same today? Do you wait for someone or something to clear away your clouds, before allowing yourself to laugh again?
How would your life change if you began each day anew? If there was no memory of past sunrises and today you were seeing the colors and light for the very first time? What if you had no way of comparing how brightly the stars shone on the previous night - would they not stop you in awe as you looked upon them as if it were the first time they shone?
If you had no memory of being let down, betrayed, or upset, how easy would it be to reach your heart and hand out to a stranger? If we could let go of the anger, and see another as we first saw them, how different would our relationships be? What if it was safe to trust without fear of harm?
Today as I think of November 11th - Rememberance Day, I ask myself, why we would want to remember the days and years of suffering for so many soldiers, family and friends. They fought for freedom and country. They fought with pride and endurance. Many who returned, spent years trying to forget, few spoke easily of that time.
Lest We Forget - perhaps it is the reason they fought that needs to be remembered, rather than the horror they endured. Perhaps we need to let go of the reasons for war, and begin anew each day, so that wars may stop. Most who fought for our country believed that is why they were fighting - to end all wars.
If we truly want to honor the veterans, our parents and grandparents, I believe it is time to live as they prayed we would live for their efforts -in peace, acceptance and love. Let us clear our minds of anger, power, control, greed, and revenge. Let us remember integrity. Let us remember we are equal. No matter what country, what culture, what religion or system of beliefs, if we could all just begin today, seeing the beauty of the world, the abundance surrounding us there would be no need to react with bombs, bullets, and bayonets.
Let us remember that today is a new day and what we do today will change the future. The choice is ours.
If there is any memory I ask all of you to rekindle, it would be this:
Remember, we were all created in love. Love was all there was. It was not until the addition of "freewill" that anything but love existed. In honor of our veterans I hope you will use your freewill to make each day a new day, filled with peace, joy, love and faith. Accept all others whatever their differences. Forgive the past. Forget all grievances. This is the way to end all wars in a way that fighting never could.
Lest we forget - our choices create the reality in which we live, and we have the ability to create heaven or hell. As we give thanks for those who fought to protect us, let us also remember our responsibility to uphold the reason they put their lives on the line for us - that we might live in peace.
Be Blessed
