Jilly Brandon

Remembering….who you are, and what you are first and foremost,is something that is so needful right now.  There is so much going on with people feeling so unsettled, and disappointed that their candidate of choice was not picked by them for presidency.

They are riled up, to say the least, and they are rioting in the streets, because they have been given the right to protest, because they are allowed  to peaceably assemble.  This is protected by the American Constitution.

Hmmmmm…it would seem that more than a few have forgotten the “peaceably” part of this right.

I am not going to go all “politically rouge” on you, so don’t fear.  I’m a Canadian living with a green card status in the United States. I am in fact an ” resident alien.”   I have never voted even one time in the 25 years  that I have lived in this country. I am allowed to live here, and I do not ever forget that I am fortunate to call this country my home.  I do not take this for granted.

I awoke this am to a Colorado Rocky Mountain blue sky morning, sunshine peaking through my blinds, and warm air pulsating through my house from the furnace, and I remembered.

I remembered that we have so much to be thankful for .  We have the democratic process, and while there is a great divisiveness permeating through our country since Tuesday the 9th, we can be so grateful that we have freedom to gather, to voice our opposition, and to audibly discuss our fears, and we can do this because men and women have given their lives for our country.

With  blood, and with sacrifice, they have not just thought about protecting their country, their love is action.  They volunteered, they served, and many died because they thought our freedom was that important.  It staggers me, this great love.  It humbles me to my core, and I’m so in awe of these men and women.

I remember them today, and I feel proud.  Fellow humans can just take your breath away with their willingness to give all, with not a thought as to the ultimate price for which they have signed up for…their lives…Seriously….A lump sticks in my throat when I see young people burning the Stars and Stripes of the United States.  I know they “can” do this, but it really rips my heart out to see this.

It is called Rembrance Day in Canada, and Veterans’ Day here in the US.  May we take time throughout our day to say thank you.  I hope it touches our hearts , and that we continue to teach our children at what great cost their freedom was obtained.  We owe so much to those who have gone before us.  Don’t we in fact  owe them our lives?  It’s a sobering , and soul provoking exercise to think about what we would be willing to sacrifice for the extreme privilege of just being free.

 

So much we take for granted.  We take people for granted.  We forget to love, to be kind.  What does shoeing kindness cost us?  Nothing…nothing at all.  Being decent and kind and loving cost so little.  Maybe just our time…really, only our time, and maybe a little bit of effort.

This doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t bleed, it isn’t painful.  ” Being kind one to another” does not kill, but it has such power.   “It can amputate hates’ legs and arms when we love one another.”  Isn’t this a united cause to fight for, to give our all for?

Hatred is our true enemy.  Let’s not forget this.  Selfishness and fear  are hiding in Hatreds’ blackened wings, and it is always ready to pounce like a vulture on a not quite deceased piece of prey.  It is ugly , and it grows ever strong the more we let it live in us.

It needs to be eradicated, dug out  before it becomes the festering wound that threatens to become septic and rotting with gangrene.

Hatred consumes. It is an action word.  If we hate, we are choosing this, and we should know what we are signing up for, because hatred is ultimately death.  Do not be fooled. ” it comes to kill and to destroy.”  It is sneaky though, and can be hidden under your right to “free speech.”  If you spew hatred to your fellow human, you are emanating the icy cold breath of the grim reaper into them.  This is toxic.

To “love your enemies” now there is a mind blowing idea!  To actually care for,  and give of yourself in the action of loving your neighbor, and those that hurt you….completely revolutionary.

What if we did this?  Would the cost just be our pride?  Is this such a putrescent idea, that we run from this like a gazelle fleeing the lion.

I want to remember.  I want my children to remember too.  I want them to know that their legacy involves putting themselves second in order to help their fellow citizen  They are not the most important.  Every person is important.  Whether you have full faculty of your brain or you don’t.

If you have full use of your magnificent grey matter, then it behooves you to be an example to others.  If you do  not use what has been graciously bestowed upon you, then you are missing your purpose.  Do what’s right, not what is easy.  No whining…period.  Make a difference.  Choose life.  Get in there and don’t be afraid.  Those  who are mute, and cannot speak  for themselves….breathe love.  For those that are maimed, and cannot stand…lift them up, and carry them if you are able.  Extend your hand with food, and shelter to others that are cold and hungry.  We are endowed with so much potential to love.

Those of us “who have been given  much..much is required of us.”  If we live in the USA, then we have been given much already.  So many blessings that much of the world does  not have.

Love first……the rest will follow.  I want to be mindful of the fact, and put it into action.  To our loved ones who have passed on before us, we need to remember their lives, and their sufferings, and realize we are still here on this earth because there is something required of us, we still have something to do here.

Last week my son Logan casually remarked to me, ” had I spoken to Natalie?”  I responded with, ” no, why, what do you mean?”  He wouldn’t look me directly in the eye, and so  my alarm bells began to clang inside my head.

“Did you guys break up?”  “Nope.”..he says rather elusively.  “Quite the opposite.” Gulping back my saliva, I asked, ” is she pregnant?  He kinda grins at me, knowing my heart is doing backflips, and slyly answers,..”nope..we adopted a kitten.”

Well now at least I  could let out my breath…”is that all?”  He kept staring  at me knowing he had about given me a heart attack, and recounted the adventure of how the kitten came to be living at our house.  He told me initially..”Mum you are gonna love this story..”  Man but this kid has me  securely wrapped about his pinkie!

Natalie(his girlfriend,) and he,had ventured into Petsmart just to look around last week.  There, staring out at them was an eight month old grey and white tabby girl kitty with steely grey eyes.  They were ,by the sounds of it, quite smitten.

They decided to inquire about her, and were dumbfounded to learn that her name was “Bonkers.”  Seriously…..”Bonkers” was the nickname of my departed daughter, Bianca, so as Logan said to me, “Mum I knew she was meant to come home with us.”

He remarked to Natalie, when he found out her name, ” well I guess we are adopting a cat today.”  My eyes well up with tears as I recount this story., for so many reasons.  It just reminds me that there is an intangible force that brings people and animals and objects together, simply to bless us, and for us to feel loved, and remembered.  For me, it is the presence of God that does this.  I am unable to conceive of it being any other way.

God knew the comfort that would flow into Logan’s heart when he knew of the kitty’s name.  This kitten will not let Logan alone.  She absolutely adores him, and I can see why.  The feelings are mutual.  Somehow our Heavenly Father knew exactly what my son needed, and he lovingly provide a vessel for which  a brother could remember his little sister who died.  I just love this so much…

Love really does conquer all…hate never does.  Remembering with honor and love those whose lives are now over, helps us to acknowledge that we loved them fully, and that even though they are not with us on earth, their time here mattered, they mattered.  They were seen, and valued.