Sixty-Five years ago something amazing happened. On the morning of June 6th, 1944 thousands of brave soldiers from the Allied Forces began Operation Overlord : What we now know as D-Day.
A day which reminds each and every one of us that yes, there is something worth living for, fighting for and ultimately dying for. The common good of mankind.
It is a day which reminds us all that each and every person is vitally important to the mysterious and magical tapestry woven upon this pale blue dot in a lonely corridor of the limitless universe.
We are reminded that no human being is perfect. But regardless of the sum-total of our collective imperfections, we can all face the present moment afresh with a simple and all-powerful choice. The good decision. The right decision. The honorable decision.
Those brave souls who first tasted the salty beaches of Normandy understood that the right decision for mankind, for their loved ones and even for themselves, was to press on and to thwart the worst of human decisions.
Hitler wasnt merely a monster. He was also a human being. He was a symbol of how awful and destructive the power of deliberate human decisions can be. But being human, like it or not, Hitler was one of us. He had a mother he loved very much. He despised the doctor who could not save her life. He was an aspiring artist. An idealist. He was shaped by a myriad of dysfunctional relationships. Somewhere along the way, he witnessed the narcissistic value of selfish gain. He foolishly came to believe that in myopic terms, taking advantage of others would benefit himself. He got ahead in this world. Hitler was wrong. And the results of his decisions were horrific.
What is it that separates each and every one of us from tacking toward one side of the spectrum or to the other?
Our thoughts.
Our decisions.
Our actions.
Most decisions can seem trivial in our mundane lives: which restaurant to go to, what movie to see, what color car should to get. But the decision is the most powerful tool we possess. One decision can shape the world.
That fact can be witnessed in the liberty Americans exercise with their right to vote. The unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is inexorably fused with the God-given power to free-will.
No war is ideal. No war is romantic. No war is without its own collection of negative aftershocks. It is not the conflict that makes men and women Heroes. It is their capacity to make the good decision. The capacity to sacrifice their own unique and God-Given life to ensure the betterment of the unique and God-Given lives of the rest of mankind.
Today is a day to honor heroes - both living and dead, both recognized and forgotten. So as we honor the brave souls of D-Day, we ask ourselves how best to honor their legacy. And today, every day from now on, in every moment - you can honor these heroes by becoming one. You can become a hero in every moment.
It is for each of us to decide.
If our destiny is the sum-total of our decisions, then our God-given free will imbues each of us with the capacity to add, subtract, multiply or divide.
On this day sixty five years ago, the world witnessed the true measure of the human spirit.
The ability to make the best decision, even though it is the toughest decision.
Thank you for protecting my life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Today I renew my vow to honor your legacy with better decisions at every opportunity.
Thank you.
http://www.amazon.com/D-Day-June-1944-Climatic-Battle/dp/0743449746/ref=sr_1_...
Images:
From the WWW
Music:
"The Will To Live On" by Jeffrey Wooten, written for my father
(c) 2009 All Rights Reserved
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Great video. Made me almost cry afterwards
ChampionOfMath 2 years ago
Thanks doesn't really do the trick but hell, it's the best a 40 year old Brit like myself can do.
We will NEVER forget.......EVER !
franky225 2 years ago 2