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Monday, 21 April 2008 14:01 |
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Many of us can look back on out formative years with great
fondness. We were surrounded by people who looked after us,
taught us, and provided the values and socialization needed to
succeed in the modern world. Others met our most basic needs,
and we were completely dependent.
Remembrance of people and past events plays an important part in
many religions and cultures. Some light candles and offers up
prayers. Special days are set aside as memorials or celebrations
of lives past. This occurs both in the East and West, and some
of the ceremonies are quite similar in content, despite
differences in language and culture. This is universally
acknowledged as a way of paying homage.
More than simply marking the calendar, however, we mark our
hearts when we think back to fond memories of people we’ve loved
and events that were important to us. This provides a sense of
stability in a rapidly fluctuating world in which people
frequently move, change jobs, change partners, change friends,
and change interests. Sometimes it feels hard to keep up with
the movement. Yet by being centered with our memories, we can
return again and again to our zone of comfort and serenity.
By far, the best way to remember those still living is by
keeping in touch with them. Picking up a phone requires little
effort, yet may mean so much to the recipient of the call.
Better still, send a note letting them know how special you
think they are. That’s something to be treasured by both sender
as well as the receiver. Keep a journal or diary of each day,
and mention something worth remembering. Although it takes a few
minutes and some thought, the results are well worth the effort.
And by making this a habit, you may look forward to this quiet
time of reflection.
By provoking a positive emotional response, it’s easy to touch
the soul. Perhaps with a global response of people making a
connection to those they care about, the world would be a
better, and safer, place to live.
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