Where Have All The Flowers Gone?

           Remember the song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”

            Sure you do.  It was a popular folk song in the 1960s.

            The song crossed my mind this week as I was thinking about next Tuesday.  What’s next Tuesday?  It’s 9/11.  It’s the 11^th anniversary of the several tragedies we collectively call 9/11: the twin towers in New York, the Pentagon, Shanksville (PA) and the whole country. 

            I remember the hours following the New York events, then the days followings, and then the weeks following.  There were flags everywhere.  “Old Glory” was on lapel pins, car windows, front yards.  We proudly flew our flags; we waved them; we wore them; we showed our colors, proclaiming we would cower to no one. 

            And now, I wonder: Where have all the flags gone?  Where are the lapel pins? 

            For months after 9/11 we displayed signs that said “Never forget.”  Somehow, they seem to have disappeared. 

            But have we forgotten?  Have our flags gone to closets everyone?

            I hope not.  I hope the horror of 9/11 does not fade with time.  Sure, we all want the pain and grief borne by the thousands of surviving family members to become easier to bear as time passes. 

            At the same time, though, we, as citizens of the greatest country and with our varying opinions and views, must be together as Americans. 

            While the lapel pins and flags are only symbols of our nation, we must not toss them aside or hide them.  We should show our colors as reminders to ourselves and to our neighbors.

            Otherwise, when will we ever learn?  When will we ever learn?

 

 

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A Penny for Your Thoughts?

Today is “Free Thought Day.”


And my free thought is, “Well, that’s about the only thing that’s still free. Wait a while and someone will want to tax that, too!”

Yes, this is one of those rare serious posts on this blog.

Sometimes it seems that we’re in a sort of endless cycle in our wonderful country. It IS a wonderful country; the government, though, isn’t so wonderful.

Our form of government is fine. There’s just too much of it.

As government has tried to be the answer for every question, it has burgeoned.

As “we the people” have asked the government to provide for us, government has increased.

As politicians have built their own little empires, government has multiplied.

As politicians have created jobs for friends, government has grown.

Each time government grows – with new employees, new programs, new responsibilities, new regulations, new buildings – the amount of money needed for funding has increased as well.

We are saddled with higher taxes and new taxes.

Somehow, we must stop this endless cycle. What’s the answer?

That’s something I’ll have to think about – while our thoughts are still free.

Gives new meaning to that familiar line about a penny for one’s thoughts, doesn’t it?

~                 ~                ~                ~

WW: Presidential Portraits and More

These are pictures I took last year in the Smithsonian's presidential exhibit.  Some of the artwork is truly amazing.

Have you ever had your patience tried?  Did you have to wait a long time for something?  Read this that was displayed next to one of Thomas Jefferson's portraits.  Yes, that was a different time - before people were used to getting things right away.

This is a close up of a section of the previous portrait.  The hands are so life-like, don't you think?

These are life masks of Abraham Lincoln.  The one on the right was done two weeks before his death.

These sculptures are of President George Herbert Walker Bush.  He's throwing horseshoes.

Click the links to view other participants in Wordless Wednesday and Wordful Wednesday.