I’m more interested in the meaning of funerals and the mourning that people do. It’s not a retail experience. It’s an existential one. Thomas Lynch, American Politician 1727-1776. ThinkExist.com.
I want to give remembrance today to the 30 US troops (22 Navy Seal troops, 7 Afghan troops, and 1 Afghan interpreter) shot down by Taliban fighters August 5th 2011. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44049685/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/?gt1=43001#.Tj6g9mHZiSo.
As I promised, my blog postings give you psychology in everyday life. And, there’s no short-supply of events and daily on goings in our lives as grist for these postings. Today, however, the grist from which I pull my reflections and feelings saddens me.
Like most of you, I didn’t know these troops personally. But I know the life-affirming ideals they represent, the sacrifices they made for our country, and the way they chose to live their lives. They fought and gave their lives for the protection of existence. Today, I’m mourning the loss of our troops and the threat to existence. Any threat to the ideas and ways of being that support and promote existence deeply saddens me. What do we have if we don’t have our life? I would take life, with all its ups and downs, over death any day to experience that wonderful process of living.
Today’s post is not a social-political statement. It’s rather about the very human, existential experience of being able to mourn those who give their lives to protect the very best of what it means to be a human being, no matter your culture, race or religion. Whether it’s the US troops that I speak about today, Princess Diana, or Nelson Mandela, if we have developed in such a way where we let the ideals of freedom and equality, kindness, generosity, and compassion guide our way of being in the world, we will mourn any person or thing that threatens them. Mourning humanizes us and opens us to others who are suffering.
Take a moment today to share with us your thoughts and experiences on today’s posting.
