Rev. Douglas J. House, M.Div.
“I am hopelessly in love with a memory. An echo from another time, another place.” ― Michael Faudet
Last summer, my son and I made a quick trip to see some friends in Virginia and along the way, we stopped to see some sights in Washington, DC. Among the sights that he and I found the most moving were the ones that we saw at Arlington National Cemetery. With its huge expanse of green lawn and thousands of carefully placed head stones, the cemetery holds the remains of America’s heroes. Some of those buried there are known to the general public, like Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and President John F. Kennedy, but many of the others who lay there are known only to family and friends. Arlington truly is a library of human history, telling the stories of so many who have served our country.
One of the most moving experiences at Arlington is watching the dedication and precision of those who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Their actions are impressive. Each guard on duty marches 21 paces in a line by the tomb, turns and then faces the tomb for 21 seconds. After 21 seconds, the guard marches 21 steps back to where he started. The number 21 refers to a “21-Gun Salute” – something which reflects military honor.
What is it about the past that begs our attention? Memories serve us in so many ways. With those whose remains rest at Arlington, we engage the stories of our nation, our history as a people. The silent voices we hear there truly are “an echo from another time, another place.”
“Without memory, there is no culture. Without culture, there would be no civilization, no future.” – Elie Wiesel
During the month of May each year, we pause to remember. Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember those who have lost their lives in the defense of our nation. Dating back to the time just after the Civil War, the observance was initially known as “Decoration Day” and was always held on May 30th. I remember my aunt referring to the holiday as Decoration Day when I was a boy. Today Memorial Day is always observed on the last Monday of May. It began as an occasion to honor and memorialize the war dead, as well as to decorate their graves with flags and flowers.
More than decorating the graves of the fallen, Memorial Day, like Arlington Cemetery, calls us to remember our past. It challenges us to understand that there are those who paid the ultimate price which permits us to enjoy the freedoms that we have. Megan Sprigg, a contemporary poet, penned these words entitled, Remember Them
We will remember them,
The ones who stood tall,
Who fought for their country,
The ones who were willing to fall.
We will remember them,
The ones whose lives had shined,
Who were mighty and bold,
May the world be defined.
Look at all our nations,
Oh how far we’ve come,
As every person will stay in our hearts,
We shall stand one by one.
They Will Always Remain with Us.
As human beings, stories play an important part in our lives. They add color to events of our past, and every time we share a memory or a story, we remind ourselves about how important memory is. A clergy friend once remarked that “although a loved one may have gone, he or she will live on in every story that is shared and in every memory that is held”. I often share that sentiment with people at funerals. While the ones we miss may no longer be physically with us, they truly live on in our memories. And just perhaps, that is the most important thing that memories can do for us; keep us connected to the past and keep us tied to those we love. For that, do we give our thanks.
May you find comfort in the memories you hold of those who have passed on. May the richness of their life’s stories forever bring you a sense of peace, for that truly is the power of memory.
