ANZAC Day

There seems to be a key phrase in ANZAC Day - “Lest we forget.” Remembering is seen as important.  To me it is.
What we have, is not a given.  Australia has been involved in a number of wars.  There are those that put themselves in harms way on our behalf.  In some cases, they see what no person wants to.  We enjoy what we have, because there were those willing to do that.  Once our country was directly threated, and a line of people stood between us and enslavement.  On other occasions we assist others in the belief they will do the same for us.  Whatever the occasion, it is important to remember what transpired.  It is not glorifying war, it is glorifying those who were in it.
I recall being at work when there was a march held for the Vietnam vets.  When they first returned, they were really hardly done by.  Many years later that was recognised, and a march was held for them.  I could not be there as I had to work, but I really wanted to be, and my heart was with them.
It is important to remember stuff in my own life.  Although I don’t want to live in the past.  I have heard someone recall events that happened 40 years ago.  There is no doubt they were impressive, but I reckon fresh is best.  I have an aversion to eating an old carrot.  Give me fresh.
To me what happened 40 years ago is important as a a building block, but it is a means to an end, and not an end in itself.  I am big on how one finishes not starts.  Someone may bolt out of the blocks and fade.  Another could only be mentioned at the end – as the winner.
There was a poor Korean runner with the last name Sucs.  He thought the crowd was cheering for him when the chant went up “Kim Sucs, Kim Sucs.”  I guess I thought it was funny as it was not me.
There are things that happened in my life that I want to forget.  In some ways it is best I do.  If I do remember, my intent is to learn, not wallow.  It is best I forget what is behind and reach forward to what is ahead.  Memories are great, but not if they lead to self-whipping and regrets.  If something needs dealing with, I need to deal with it and move on.  It is good to bury something, but not to bury it alive.  Until it is dead it can harm.
I don’t want to be a fish with a three second memory.  There was an ad on tv I laughed at so much.  It was for breakfast cereal.  There was a fish in a bowl between two packets of cereal.  He would swim one way and exclaim about its virtues, and swim the other way, having completely forgotten everything, and exclaiming again, as if it was for the first time, some other virtue of the cereal.
If I had a three second memory I would learn nothing.  If I made mistakes I would be doomed to make them again and again.  Fortunately for me, I do not have a three second memory.  Both successes and failures can be learnt from and moved on from.
I am thankful for what soldiers have done and I will celebrate it.  It is not the end of the story though.  That is still being written.