We have so many annual reminders in our yearly calendar. They are spread across our year and serve to remind us to pause for a moment and refresh our memories of things that are important.
Most recently Kennedy remembered Easter and ANZAC day. The flow of life can sweep along at such a speed we forget things that are important to remember. It is good to remember the birthday of those close to us, to spend a day celebrating a person we know. There are anniversaries of marriages and losses of loved ones that again keep the memory fresh in the present day.
It is often said that “the one thing we learn from history is that we NEVER learn from history”! The truth of this statement was fresh in my mind as we recognised Easter and ANZAC day this year. All of us have a habit of not remembering our mistakes when we are frustrated at another person’s actions. We often say that someone “always” does things that upset us, or they “never” do the thing we would like, all the time forgetting the many times they do. Observing Easter and ANZAC this year made me think about how remembering is a form of learning. Remembering a mistake helps us to not do it again, remembering a success can serve to repeat it.
Easter and ANZAC day made me remember that self-sacrifice is a powerful human action that does leave a mark on others. Sometimes we personally feel that our self-sacrifice can be abused or forgotten by others, but Easter and ANZAC day reminds us that it is always potent. I would like to remind you that self-sacrifice is LOVE in action and love is the most powerful force in human lives. I want to remind us to remember and learn from those times when love made a difference in our lives.
Lest We Forget.
Peter Chase
College Chaplain • Pastoral Care
