What would the dead say if they could speak? What words would they share? Would they complain? Would they have a list of “I wish I would have…?” Would they share some advice? Who can say? I walked among the dead the other day on Cemetery Hill in Gettysburg, PA and I wondered just that. What would a soldier from this great battle of the Civil war say if they could share their thoughts?
Don’t let me loose you; I haven’t fell off the deep end. As I walked with a friend of mine, Eddie Dutschke from the world famous town of Paynesville, KY, we strolled down the rows of headstones from many states of the Union who fought and died here in this sleepy Midwestern town, and I wondered these thoughts.
Cemetery Hill is not only the resting place for many of our bravest departed, and the site of the Gettysburg Address, but also the core defensive positions for the Union Army. Some of these soldiers actually fought and spilled blood on the ground they would later be buried in.
The surreal feeling of walking thru this great place and standing where the great Statesman President Abraham Lincoln gave the famous address, left me with feelings that are hard to explain.
The civil war was fought at a time much different from ours, in a manner much different from modern warfare. There were no smart bombs, no Apache helicopters, no mortars, and not even one Special Operations Operative, only cannons, rifles, and bayonets. When you look down the barrel of your rifle and see the enemy advancing, you pull the trigger. Out of sight, out of range, we are talking close combat. Many brave souls poured their hearts and lives into defending their positions, and many rest in those same positions today.
We visited the museum and took the bus tour around the battlefield that encircles Gettysburg. As we listened to our guide share the facts of the battle and things about places like Little Round Top and Pickett’s Charge, we could almost hear the cannons and see the smoke.
So, What would the dead say if they could speak? I believe they would be proud for the freedom they fought for, and wonder how we have gotten so far from our roots. Roots of democracy, roots of good will, roots of our faith. When did we become a such a selfish society? When did the well being of our fellow man fall prey to our own desires?
I think life has become something of hustling instead of living. We pass each other without even noticing one another. We are plugged into the media by newspaper, internet, phone, IPod, and text. We spend more time on less important things in the quest of getting ahead or staying ahead. We don’t love or share like generations past. Christmas for example has become a business instead of a time of families, traditions, and sharing. To describe it as simply as I can I think we have become way out of balance.
When was the last time you could actually say you were at peace with your life? Last weekend on the boat or your favorite campsite? When was the last time you really relaxed without a time limit? When was the last time you sat and played a game with the kids or grandkids?
The soldiers of the civil war fought for freedom, to keep the union together, and to end slavery in our beloved country. To support our Constitutional freedoms declared in the Declaration of Independence and the foundations we believe in. To support the very words our forefathers penned when they declared “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I believe we have forgotten where we came from, and forgotten these three basic values. Let me explain: Life – to live a life of meaning and substance not measured by wealth or possessions, but by love. Sharing ‘life’ with those we hold most dear to us. Caring about something bigger than ourselves. Liberty – freedom, the right to govern ourselves personally without indentured slavery to debt or the pursuit of material things. To unplug from the hustle and enjoy peaceful lives that are fulfilling. Pursuit of Happiness – the right to pursuit what makes us most happy, our families, our hobbies, our ambition to live our dreams, to be innovative, to share our passions and make possibilities realities.
Somewhere along the way we have forgotten who we are. Gettysburg was the turning point in the war that birthed a nation united, bound for these freedoms. We need to revisit our past by looking into our lives and making touch choices. We must find ourselves to deliver ourselves back into this life of freedom.
Gettysburg isn’t just a place memorialized in time by the blood shed by our nation’s soldiers; it’s one of those places every American should visit and walk among the dead to hear what they have to say, (figuratively speaking). I stood atop Little Round Top and looked across the field of battle, and prayed. I ask God to redefine me into what he intended; to make my passions his passions. I’ve made a habit of self examination; to look into myself with the purpose of improvement; to find the real me.
Gettysburg is an American Memorial treasure. It’s both inspiration and historical. It drew from me a reflection on the history of our great nation and of myself. It inspired me to refocus my thinking and directions. It shared with me a timeless passion for hope. It’s well worth the trip to see for yourself.
Life is a precious thing, we only pass this way once, like those soldiers before us, I pray we find God’s Holy inspiration to make an impact in this world, and to define our lives with greatness.
I pray our journeys find the Life of true meaning, and that we will have the passion to share it with others.
Remember Look Up, Live Life, and Be Thankful
Kevin
