Memorial Day Reflections

by Robert L. Gisel

 Tomorrow we are going to memorialize the ones who died fighting for our side. And we should, for their loyalty, their devotion, and what they gave.

 The other side will also celebrate their heroes who went against ours. It makes for a terrific game, war.

 It is all great drama, all that blood and dieing and killing just to arrive at the stark realization there's the body laying there deader than a door knob and you're still alive, thinking how silly this all was. But the guy with fanciest uniform said do it, and you did it, and then you have to admit in the end he was nuts.

 But there lies old Joe who died in the furious rush against the enemy, and you hope it was in the throe of the heroic act, saving others, or salvaging the cause.

 We always expect that we are on the side of right and that that makes a difference, which it does, as evil is not ever a cause for good. Except unless maybe all the white hats have been taken up and all that's left are the black ones. So if you don't want to be left out of the game altogether you better take up with that side, and that, we think, is better than not being able to play at all. So it would be, if you think there is a scarcity of games and golden opportunities.

 That which forwards the broadest good, or that which harms far more than any good that ever comes out of it, tells you which right is righter, when you want to know which hat you are wearing, which side you are on. 

 If someone is going to run you over, of course you must stand and defend the line. Maybe it is enough to just move discretely out of the road. The forward progress needs to go up to order, and not down to chaos.

 Just to add to the mix, it is all a matter of viewpoint, ours or theirs or of someone else.  We like to think we are on the side of God, and their view is they are on God's side, and everybody is right down to their last dieing breath.

 Then there is pride and honor, and you know these require a view from the high end where life moves forward, whereas shameful subjugation is next to dead already.

 Still if there wasn't the other team there would be no game and boredom leads to apathy followed by death down the line.

 The last refuge in any game is that you can make a choice. You made a choice to play the game or you wouldn't be in it. To choose to play with a white hat or a black hat, that is your choice. Maybe next time you will play with a black hat, just to spice it up, that is a choice, too.

 Even when you are not given a choice and are forced into it, you better get with the program or get the dickens out, some way, some how, as you are probably on the wrong side. To feel good about yourself be true to your school, or go to a different school that you can agree to abide.

 For me, it is my ball I bring to the game. Just don't foul my ball, and I won't foul yours.

 If comes my way a hail and fury of bullets I will send them back or render them harmless, until there is no more danger and no more warring. When time affords I'll put wreathes on the gravestones to acknowledge the fallen for their good show.