Consider this a preemptive strike on the 4th of July. It’s that time of year where we put all our partisan bickering aside and unite in a common belief in the eternal goodness of the outdoor grill. For 24 hours we are all Americans. I have some family who live in England and I like to call them around this time of year to gloat, but they pretend it doesn’t bother them. Ironically, my neighbors are from Canada and they party on the 4th like the world is ending. But, to be honest, I rarely understand Canadians even though they look just like us.
Many of our residents are Veterans and they particularly enjoy Independence Day because it connects them directly to our heritage as a nation. No matter what circumstances brought them to Samaritan House, nothing can take their history as a soldier away from them, no matter to what capacity or where they served. Sometimes the past is so much more than a collection of random memories or impressions. It becomes a link to our current shared experience with the rest of humanity. For our vets, the past can be a resource that allows them to draw from a time and place that might have been one of the most memorable times of their life.
One of the most prevalent themes that seeps into my conversations with our veterans is how some people recoil from the present and live in the past because it offers sanctuary from a life unimagined. The 4th of July provides a spark in which some people can reconnect with the world around them. So, as we celebrate life, liberty, and those green ‘Get Lost’ stickers, take some time to reflect on your present situation. What connects you to those around you? Are you mired in the past or do you revel in it so much that the present is just a vapor?
Happy 4th!
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