Today I listened to Steve Reich's piece, "Different Trains," twice. It is one of my favorite pieces of music. I listened to it today because I and other interns had an academic assignment on the subject of the Holocaust. I never learned so much about those events before in my life. That subject and all it entailed was on my mind for most of the day.
There are many lessons to be learned from the Holocaust, especially how such events still exist in our modern world. One of the more profound takeaways for me, however, came from a specific quote. I don't have the exact words, the essential idea is this: "Though I have been through terrible tragedy, and have lived through horrible times, I will work and live so that my children can live in a happier and more secure world."
We are the children, the grandchildren, the great-grandchildren. Is our world happier and more secure? Are we better off now than they were then? Yes, I think in many ways we are. This leads me to wonder, do we have that same desire? Do we live with our children, the future generation, in mind?
Even after today's studies, learning so much more about the Holocaust, I have never felt depressed today. Tired and emotionally drained, yes, but not depressed or discouraged. In fact, many other good things happened today. A friend gave an exclusive tour of a historic building, I encountered a decent guitar player/singer out on the street, and I had a delightful dinner with more delightful conversation.
I am grateful for the countless heroes of the 1930s and 40s that helped make this world better than it was in the 1920s.
No comments:
Post a Comment