While there is dispute as to the origins of this holiday, what is certain is that the need to remember the fallen remains today. War is raging in many countries on the planet. Countless men and women are leaving this life for the unknown as I type this sentence. Those left behind are forever changed, grappling with loss and struggling to understand the reasons.

In 1867, Nella L. Sweet, published a hymn “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping.” Her dedication read "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead.” Sad that so many had to mourn their husbands, fathers, uncles & brothers then; even sadder that we still need to do so now. As some wise person once remarked “ We are all victims of war.”

My wish is that one day we find the way to stop being victims of war, find true reconciliation among all men, women, races, and creeds. Until then, let us offer comfort to another, be this through prayer, song, or a quiet smile. A helping hand, a poem of reflection, or a considered response in place of words of anger is the small but guiding step into a new world.

One of my offerings is the release of my CD Scattered Hearts, in which many of the pieces are inspired by loss. May this music offer relief to those in need today, tomorrow, and always.

I did move onto practicing, as was my intent before I began writing this. A beautiful spring morning beckoned me to practice in the shade of our screened-in porch. Birds singing back to me. I watched my neighbor put out his American Flag and the words  “the land of the free and the home of the brave” echoed in my mind. May we one day be truly brave enough to embrace the freedom of all men. To find the path of transformation for our emotional ills, which build and gather steam, culminating in the massive energy of war. Establish this possibility for yourself, for the world.