Monday, November 10, 2008

Veterans Day

We went to Springfield, Illinois as a family today. It was a long drive, and very gloomy and cold. We toured the Lincoln's home. We all got to touch the hand railing on the stairs that Abraham Lincoln touched every day. The museum was amazing. I got lost from my dad and Tashi on a walk though tour. So I was taking my time all alone. Seeing the wax figures of a black slave family being torn apart because they're all being sold to separate places...a darkened room with a casket lit up (representing Lincoln's body touring the country)...pictures of all the dead soldiers...it really hit me. I'm so glad to be an American. But I will never forget growing up in Japan. I always wonder how much simpler and how different my life would have been if I hadn't grown up there...
But if the founding fathers wouldn't have done what they did, if the soldiers in the revolutionary war hadn't sacrificed for what they thought was right, we wouldn't have had a free country. There wouldn't have been freedom of religion, and so our church wouldn't have started and my parents wouldn't have met Dr. Samejima (a member of our church) and we wouldn't have gotten Mia and Noah from Japan. 99% of my best friends in Japan are members of the church.
Just thinking about it that way really put it into perspective.
How much more good would have come if George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Joseph Smith hadn't died early deaths?
What would have happened to our country if they hadn't existed, or stood up for right?
They were all amazing men. And I am very grateful for them.

Here's the Gettysburg Address:



And Sullivan Ballou's last letter to his wife. I bawl like I baby every time I read, watch, or hear this. Oh goodness. This was a good man too.

4 comments:

maika said...

すごく同感だよ。今自分がいるのは自分の力じゃなくて自分の先祖だったり、日本を作り上げてくれた人のおかげだったり、なにより神様やイエス様のおかげなんだってよく思うよ。

まいかもアレクサがもし日本にいなかったり、まいかが葛西にうつらなかったら、大事な親友を得られなかったかも。。。って考えるだけで怖くなる!!

My name is Lexi said...

ピルグリムの先祖が生き残らなかったら、お父さんの先祖がジョセフ・スミス時代に教会に入らなかったら、お母さんの先祖がデンマークで宣教師に会ってかいしゅうして、ソルトレークに集合しなかったら、お父さんがお母さんに会わなくて、自分は生まれなかった。
まいかのおじいちゃんの話しも!
I love maika!!!

Emily H said...

I so agree with you. Terrible things happen and others make sacrifices for us, so that our lives can be. Wouldn't it be great to have a president as noble as one of those men?

My name is Lexi said...

seriously