Just a day off?
Posted on January 15, 2007 - Filed Under Uncategorized
I don’t have much faith in New Year’s resolutions. I think that goals are good and necessary, don’t get me wrong. However, by focusing so tightly on one day and putting all our eggs in that one basket, we are kind of setting ourselves up for failure. That said, I came up with a resolution today that I think I have a good chance of succeeding at, if I remain dedicated to trying.
Several weeks ago when President Ford died and an official day of mourning was declared, I did not have to go to work. I also had today off because of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In both cases, I was struck by the fact I was getting something for free, as well as missing out on an opportunity to learn and experience something about these men and the things for which they stood. And they stood for much and deserve to be honored by us implementing those parts of their philosophies we find worthy.
My New Year’s resolution is stop getting something for free. I will do this by using the time I am given, in the form of days off, to celebrate and appreciate what those days are all about. Some of them are not about things external to us, rather they are intended for people to spend time with their families, etc. The others can be observed through participating in the activities they commemorate. So, here’s my plan for the rest of the year:
Washington’s Birthday (February 19)–I will go to a museum or some such place and learn something about early American history.
Memorial Day (May 28)–I will observe and hopefully participate in a ceremony honoring those who gave their lives to protect the freedom our nation enjoys.
Independence Day (July 4)–This is a hard one because, when you think about it, we enjoy our independence everyday by living free. So, besides some lame fireworks, how does one truly celebrate this holiday? Can’t really think of anything…any ideas?
Labor Day (September 3)–This one is even more difficult. I know what the purpose of the holiday was but the labor movement has kind of lost its momentum, so a method of celebration doesn’t easily come to mind.
Columbus Day (October 8 )–I have a real hard time accepting this as a holiday because it is predicated on the idea that Columbus ‘discovered’ America, which is clearly not true. There were many different cultures present long before Columbus arrived. Therefore, and this should be easier here than in many areas around the country, I will spend time as close to a Native American culture as possible. What I don’t look forward to is finding a reservation or community like Cherokee, NC which has completely sacrificed all of their cultural integrity in favor of the almighty (tourist) dollar. Of course, who can blame them? We are all Columbus and we all have forced them to live on their reservations like so many circus sideshows.
Veteran’s Day (November 12)–This is a tough one, too. I have an idea for it, though: I know a great deal of people, family and friends, who have or are serving our country. If after some thought it still seems the most powerful way of celebrating, I will do what I can to thank each of them for their service, perhaps by sending a card or doing so in person.
Thanksgiving Day (November 22)–This is another philosophically difficult one, for some of the same reasons as Columbus Day. Many of the early American settlers would have perished were it not for the insights Native Americans gave them regarding how to grow food. How did we thank them?
Christmas Day (December 25)–It seems that when you boil this day down, it’s all about love and hope. What can I do to spread these?
Well, I haven’t accomplished a whole lot in terms of mapping out this resolution, but I have built a good skeleton. There are two things about this idea which strike me as especially important: 1. I don’t take time to think about and do things related to these holidays, so hopefully this helps me start and 2. Maggie should be raised to appreciate all of these things. I really look forward to teaching her about them.
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3 Responses to “Just a day off?”
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wow i think this is a wonderful resolution and i think it is very important that maggie learn about our history and the values our country was founded on and the freedoms we enjoy i am so proud of you and jessica for serving our country love mom
Jason,
What’s up. What is a good email address for you other than the work one? I thought about you this weekend… my sister came up and we hiked about 8 miles of the shut-in trail. I told her about you and the pace you liked to hike and she didn’t believe me… anyways… I hope ya’ll are doing well. Take care for now.
Jake
Jason,
I read this post the other day, then this morning while on the train ride to work, I was reading this article in Legion magazine. Immediately, I thought of your resolution, so without further ado, here it is:
http://www.legion.org/?section=publications&subsection=pubs_mag_index&content=pub_mag_king_0207
Happy Washington’s Birthday to You and Yours,
Stephen