Remembering Our America

     This weekend, the nation celebrates Memorial Day.  Picnics and parades will commence in numerous towns and cities across America.  This year the feeling is especially poignant given the number of human tragedies and natural disasters which have occurred.  It has been a never-ending series of events causing pain and disbelief.  We are a nation stuck in a mode of constant healing, and are wondering if there will ever be a period of calm and peace again.  Storms, bombings, shootings, bullying, and economic depression have left us praying for those suffering loss and heartache.  In the midst of all the chaos, comes a holiday when we honor those who have served our country.  A country whose values they held close to their heart in hope of preserving our democracy and freedom.

     My mother’s uncles served in both world wars.  Uncle Mike served in WWI. He was given special honors for his bravery.   Experiencing happenings so horrific, he actually tried to get himself shot in the leg near the end so that he could go home.  Uncle Tony served in WWII.  He joked that he only won the lottery once in his life.  Surprisingly when he went to claim, there were thousands of other winners.  Not a day went by when he didn’t have some story related to the war.  A good, kind man, the effects were deep and lasting.  Although parades were held in the large cities, soldiers returning to small towns and rural areas simply went home to the relief of their loved ones.  Somehow their lives went on, but the experience lived with them forever.

     On Monday, when people gather to celebrate in backyards, parks, and on Main Street, let’s remember our America.  It remains country of enduring hope, support, and thoughts of the future.  A country where people offer support to those in need and those capable of evil will never be tolerated.  Areas of destruction will be rebuilt, and those lost will never be forgotten.  The veterans, who served so proudly and sacrificed so much, deserve our praise for reminding us what it means to be an American, and for being the definition of love of country.   God bless America.

 

The Class of ’43 Goes to the Prom

     Almost every night, at 10:00 P.M., I watch the news.  Sometimes I wonder why I do this because the headlines for the most part are filled with terrible news.  Shootings, robberies, break-ins, fires, hit and runs make up the top stories of the night.  Next come stories of political fallouts or weather disasters.  But one night this week, a story early in the broadcast was of a different sort.

      Every year, thousands of high school seniors prepare to go to their prom.  There is another group of seniors also planning to attend the prom this year,  the Hillhouse High school Class of 1943 in New Haven, CT.   Deferred due to the war, this class never had the experience of attending the annual school dance.  A group got together and decided after 70 years, the time had come to celebrate the rite of passage.

     I loved this story.  It was heartwarming, touching, and humorous.  It brought out an understanding that no matter how many years pass, how many experiences we have, how much happiness or sorrow we experience, we remain young at heart.  Wouldn’t it be great if the news was like this every night.  Enjoy.

http://youtu.be/IWVk2dEb0hs

Life on a 2 inch Screen

     In my last post, I described my visit to Disney World.   One of the points I didn’t mentioned was before every show, an announcement was made that no recording or flash photography could take place during the performance.  It was music to my ears.  It seems in the past few years, everyone is recording every event that occurs in their lives.  This all started with the invention of the video camera.  Now with cell phones, iPads, YouTube and other social media, the world has become one giant movie.

     We waited for the parade in the Magic Kingdom one afternoon during our trip.  People were polite and courteous while standing along the road.  When the parade reached our area, a women standing next to me kept sticking her elbow in my side.  She had her iPad up in the air in order to record the whole parade.  In my passive aggressive way I refused to move over.  I’m sure she didn’t appreciate the clapping and calling out  of the names of characters as they went by, but I didn’t care.  I was enjoying the moment with my kids and wasn’t going to stifle my fun for someone documenting their entire day.

     Before we had kids, and had two incomes, my husband and I went on a cruise to Alaska.  The only way to get from location to location is by boat or air since the state does not have many roads of connection.  We noticed that while the boat was moving, the crowds were nowhere to be seen.  It was us and about 12 other people wearing parkas observing the wonderful landscape.  When the boat stopped, the people came out of the casino, the pools, and the food and play areas, and took sudden interest in the sites.  At the time video cameras were the means of recording, and they came out in force.  Tripods were set up, people jockeyed for the best position, and it was taped for remembrance.  When the show was over, the people disappeared.  My husband commented that that those people were experiencing Alaska through a 2 inch screen.

     I often wonder what children think when their parents tell them what to do for the camera.  Many times they want a reenactment of something a child did spontaneously. They tell them not only what to do or say, but how to do it.  Most kids I know don’t repeat what you want them to do when asked.  This causes many parents to become exasperated because they can’t capture that precious moment.  Maybe these kids are onto something.  I remember a movie called Truman starring Jim Carrey.  Unbeknownst to Truman, his whole life was being monitored, and a live feed was blasted across televisions nationwide.  Everything around him was set-up to provide the drama.  People, buildings, and events, were planned to create a kind of documentary reality show.  When Truman found out, he walked out and said goodbye.

     I have a video camera.  I film my kids a few times a year.  Most of it takes place the backyard, or the house of mine and other family members.  I don’t feel like I can fully experience what is going on around me if I have to keep focus through a screen.  So much time during the total happening is lost.  I know I am old school, but I prefer still photography.  There is something captured in a moment that I find quite satisfying.  A facial expression, the time of day, the surroundings, the people grouped together, the memory of time and place.  It is nice to have some photos and videos as remembrance, but the best movie of all is the one that plays out in our heads.  The memories we hold of loved ones, events, and life in general.  My grandmother said it best.  Once at a wedding, she couldn’t get over the number of photos that were being taken.  She commented…”All these pictures.  You only need one.”  How right she was.

I Went to Disney World!

     A few weeks ago, during the April school break, my family went to Disney World.   Many families we know have already been, some multiple times.   For us the timing never seemed to be right, and we wanted to wait until both of our girls were old enough to handle the whole experience.  This year the schedules lined up, and we went.  I have never been before and didn’t really know what to expect.  I now understand why they call it the happiest place on earth.

   I booked the plane tickets last summer.  Flying out of the northeast during spring break made this essential.  We decided not to stay in the park.  I know, I know….people say this is a mistake but we had our reasons.  First, my youngest daughter has an internal alarm clock which wakes her up at 6 A.M. no matter how late she stays up the night before.  I knew there was no way we would be up until 10:30 to see fireworks.  Second, the cost of the trip drops significantly by staying outside the park.  I got a great deal through Costco for lodging, tickets to the park, and a car.  We had a 2 bath, 2 bedroom timeshare, with a kitchen, laundry, pools, and other activities.  We were close to the parks, but came home every day to peace and quiet.

     I didn’t plan for the entire year as so many say you have to do.  We decided what we definitely wanted to do, and what we could skip, but I didn’t have an itinerary for every minute. We also decided we could live without character meals and princess spas.  My days of be anxious and worried are over.  We didn’t find it hard to get around, or have the time to do what we wanted.  I think you actually have more fun if you aren’t so worked up about where you need to be. I am also glad that my kids were not so young as to become overly tired, and overwhelmed with the crowd, the volume at the shows, the walking, and the heat.

    We went to the parks 4 days.  We went once to Hollywood Studios, twice to the Magic Kingdom, and once to Animal Kingdom.  We decided Epcot will be visited on a future trip. Going to Disney provides a great opportunity for observing human behavior.  They have crowd control down to a science. Parking lots are not filled with people trying to find the nearest spot.  You drive in and they have you park in an orderly manner.  No choice, no stopping, pull in, get out, and walk to the tram.  Lines for rides and shows have wait times posted.  If you decide to wait, you walk along the maze.  The fact that it keeps moving makes you feel like you are getting somewhere which eliminates the frustration many feel in traffic jams.  The staff is friendly and helpful.  Everyone is smiling which is infectious.  Imagine having pleasant conversations with strangers all day.  Imagine how society could benefit from that.

     The rides are what most people talk about, but the exhibits, shows, characters in the street, parades, marching bands add so much to the experience.  Some is educational, some is pure fun.  The second day in the Magic Kingdom brought back so much of my childhood when Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy were the only characters we knew.  Music, laughs, and stories come to life.  It all lifts the spirit and leaves you looking for more.

     It happened to be the week of the Boston Marathon bombings.  Many people from the northeast had the incident in the back of their minds.  It reminded us that it is important to have experiences that are fun-filled and happy.  It is important to create memories that will last a life time, and that time spent with family will never be forgotten.  My kids had a wonderful time, and my husband and I enjoyed seeing Disney through their eyes.  For one glorious week, the world around us was totally happy.