Memorial Day

Today is for memories. Memories of people now gone from our lives. Gone, but not forgotten.


This day is set aside in America to remind us that hundreds of thousands of men and women died fighting for our nation. My liberty. Your liberty. They stood up to serve a greater cause. We are the beneficiaries of their action.


This does not mean that each military death was faced without fear; no, most likely they, like you and I, trembled before acting. Courage is not blind, nor is it without emotion and fear. Courage is the act of doing despite the fear. Maybe even because of it?


Liberty means different things to different people. For most, I suppose, liberty is the freedom to move about, work or laze, shop or sleep, and think and speak whatever they wish. That definition would be narrow and cheap. Yes, liberty is freedom to think, speak and act in ways we want to, but there is always the silent restraint that keeps us from harming others. The yin and yang of freedom is deeply important.


What I do or say is ingested by others. They may or may not feel affected, but if they act differently, they are affected. Another aspect – if they have an affect placed on them because of me, then my freedom has impacted them. Is the affect good or harmful? Who is to say? And when to say it? Doesn’t it take time to register harm from a causal action?


Our current pandemic is a prime example of this transaction of freedom. If I mix freely with other people at this time without wearing a mask, I chance giving the virus to someone, or getting it from someone. They don’t know. I don’t know. We don’t know at the time that the virus is spread. We do know how the virus is spread, and thus protective measures have been provided to follow.


Not following safety measures is a decision by the individual. The impact of the action raises the threat level for spreading illness and possible death.


Liberty indeed has limits. Commonsense tells that story. It is up to each of us to heed or not. What happens thereafter is on us.


Best be safe rather than sorry.


This is not about freedom or liberty. It is about responsibility.


I am certain those we honor today understood the responsibility.


May 25, 2020