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Memorial Day
June 02, 2005
I just returned from celebrating Memorial Day weekend at my dad's lake house. I always head down to the lake on Memorial weekend because my dad's birthday always lands during it... we get to remember and celebrate all at the same time, and it's always a lot of fun. I like this picture. I had no idea when I shot it this weekend that the flag looks like it's flying above a cross. The silohuetted trees are beautiful, but they're somewhat dark and imposing. I feel like I'm looking out through a forest filled with shadows out into the light... but the trees are barring me from enjoying everything I see. I'm wondering if those dark trees hold some kind of symbolic meaning. Do they represent fallen soldiers? Are they prison bars that keep us from enjoying true freedom?
Memorial Day has a lot of significance in my family. My father is a retired Air Force general and served in Vietnam as a navigator. He flew supplies into Vietnam, and flew the body bags out. My stepfather, a retired Marine general, lost an eye in battle in the Korean war. Needless to say, with all the brass in my family, there is a huge streak of patiotism and conservatism rooted in the family tree...
... and then there's me. The artist. The poet. The macramé ankle-bracelet-wearing hippee tree-hugger.
;-)
Despite our political differences, I can say with the fullest conviction that I respect, honor and am grateful for our soldiers. The sacrifices they make for our country are huge... especially now. I don't believe war is ever the right answer, although I've been told over and over again that it's necessary. The idea of necessity bothers me, but since this opinion comes from the mouths of the very people who have known it first-hand, I try (not very hard at times) not to instigate an argument.
We're all guilty of war, aren't we? If we're not at war with each other, then we're at war with ourselves. It bothers me that so much of what we do is described as a battle. Our senators "fight" for us on Capitol Hill. Doctors are battling against cancer, and there's a war on drugs. You can't turn on the news without being inundated with war-speak.
I have been reading the book, A Terrible Love of War by James Hillman and have been captivated by his analysis of war and how we as a species are seemingly so fond of it.
The dictionary's primary definition of peace is The absence of war.This leads me to ponder... without war, can we know peace? Can one exist without the other? Without entering into the darkness, can we be aware of being in the light?
Pondering...
Hmmm... how can a Christian nation be willing to engage in war? Isn't Jesus the "Prince of Peace"? Isn't a belief in Jesus supposed to provide us with a peace that passes understanding? How can we pray for the success of our soldiers in battle, without also asking God to destroy the lives of men and women on the opposing side?
Pondering, again.
Once upon a time, I was a charismatic Christian. There were ups and downs to this period, but basically, I look back on it as a rather kooky time in my life. (no offense to anyone, that was just where I was at the time.) I remember Jesus being described as the "Lion of the Tribe of Judah"... a militaristic conqueror. I remember how I used to interpret the Book of Revelations as predicting Jesus coming back to earth to wipe everyone out during the Batlle of Armegeddon. Does everything have a shadow side, including Christianity? Or, do we just need to feel as though we're engaged in conflict... is it some primal lizard-brain thing that's coded into us?
More, pondering.
To me, Jesus' message is one of an abiding love. A radical love. A life and world-changing love. He was a rebel, and a risk-taker, but definitely not a warrior in a militaristic sense. I'm not a theologian... isn't most of the eye for an eye stuff in the old testament?
Can we become victims of our own conflicted thinking? ... my head is beginning to hurt.
I don't want my head to hurt. I want peace of mind, gratitude in my heart, and peace on earth. It's Memorial Day. We're supposed to remember, and learn, and try to understand the shadow of our humanity, and try to improve, and yet I see everything against a backdrop of war... against the backdrop of our wasteful consumption, against the tidal wave of lack of collective concern for the rest of the world, and the condition of the environment.
I don't know the answers to these questions. The only thing I can do is try to look into the shadow and embrace it with some light. Here's a little light... come help me make it shine:
Love your enemies.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love one another as I first loved you.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Four simple steps. I think I'll begin with loving the shadow – the enemy – that resides within myself.
(you can watch the lecture James Hillman gave at the Washington Cathedral for free by clicking HERE. Well worth the investment of time to watch. I attended this event in March... wow.)
Posted by vincent at June 2, 2005 12:34 AM
Comments
Thank you, Susan...
Posted by: dan at June 2, 2005 02:32 AM
I think Christianity definitely has a shadow side. The way God is described as being a loving father, but also one to be feared. Then I think of my own father, and while he can be loving - also has a shadow side to be feared. As do I.
Your post about accepting the dragon inside you fits well with one's faith, also. Only when you can accept that there will be hypocrites in the church, will you truly be able to let go of the failings of the 'establishment' and let God work through you with the good that is there.
I believe that a true faith must involve a look into the shadow - questioning why you believe what you believe and learning from it. Blind faith is no faith at all.
Posted by: heather at June 2, 2005 10:31 AM
This is a topic that we all need to do a lot of pondering on. It's very well stated, beautifully.
Posted by: Wandering Willow at June 2, 2005 05:47 PM