Last week I heard a brief announcement that Monday, November 9th was National “Go to An Art Museum” Day” . I had never heard of that before and so I looked it up. Apparently a marketing firm, TOP agency, promotes national days for every day of the year. Some are made up to promote a specific product. (No surprise there because it is a marketing firm after all.) Others are just fun. On their website: www.nationaltoday.com they have a calendar for each day and an explanation of what you can do to “celebrate” and why it is important.

For instance on the 9th, the website states why go to an art museum because a) you can be tourists for a day in your city, b) you can learn something new, c) you can participate in an activity that helps clear our heads. All reasonable and necessary rationales.

I thought how best we can “celebrate” this idea of visiting a museum under our current pandemic restrictions. Rather than physically visiting an art museum, go online and “visit” one of the collections. Or, take a tour through Viking cruises (how about that for promo!)- www.viking.tv This coming week, Viking has different historians talking about WWII and WWI. All these suggestions are reminders that there are other things happening in the world besides pandemics and elections. There are things to learn and to create and that doing so collectively can draw us together as a community.

Isn’t that one of the reasons that we celebrate? To come together over a shared experience, idea, or belief? To put aside whatever differences we might have and to recognize, at least for a day, some of our “sameness”?

Today, November 11th, is Veterans’ Day. A little more serious than National Sundae Day or Single’s Day as other “celebrations” that the National Today website has also declared for Nov. 11th.

I think of all the national weariness we are experiencing due to the election, I would hope that Veterans’ Day draws us together: to remember the sacrifices that those who served in the military have made and to honor those individuals. On this day, we choose as individuals in this country, to come together and to be one in our appreciation. It takes a special person to serve in the military- to leave all that is familiar and become part of a unit and mindset that defends a country.

In thinking about Veterans’ Day, I found this program online- Music Therapy of the Rockies. The Music Therapy of the Rockies program helps veterans suffering with PTSD. In a retreat-like setting, the veteran is teamed with a songwriter. Using music therapy techniques, the veteran leaves the program with a song and a guitar. It is in the process of writing the song that healing begins.

What a beautiful program- coming together through the unity of songwriting and the collective creative process to provide a therapy that helps heal those honored individuals who gave so much in order that we can maintain our individual and collective freedom.

And what a beautiful thing to think that not only can we heal one another by joining together in singleness of purpose in honoring others but we can also heal one another by creating music together.

Music has such an impact on us. Sometimes it is only through the notes and lyrics that feelings can be expressed where actions and speech do not. While listening to music is important, the act of creating music, whether writing the music or making the sound, is very important. According to Dr. Anita Collins, educator, researcher in the field of brain development and music learning, playing instruments is good for the brain, even more so than any other art form. It is the playing of instruments that engages the entire brain- in an interconnected, total workout of the brain. (Click here for a TED talk explanation.)

What about you? What holidays- official, religious, or for fun- do you celebrate? What brings you together with others? Celebrating a person (birthdays), a belief (Easter), or nation (July 4th)? Do you even know why you celebrate? If you are celebrating a person, what can you do to honor them?

Have you ever had an opportunity to collaborate with others on a creative project? Do you play an instrument? Would you want to try a new one? Supposedly many older folks are trying the ukulele or harmonica. Small, easy to learn instruments which can be a lot of fun. Personally the kazoo is my favorite. Just the sound of the word makes me smile.

Today as we remember and think of the veterans who have served our country and ultimately us, say a special prayer for them.

Today is also a good day to reflect on the ideas that bring us together as a nation: whether that is through a collective creative process, a shared experience of work, school or neighborhoods. Today is a day of solemn celebration.

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” ― Victor Hugo

“Music… will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Veterans’ Day treat: Click here for the video of Amy Grant singing America the Beautiful at the Vietnam Memorial in DC in 2017.

2016. The most contentious election in US history? There is a debate about that. Certainly the commentators are talking about this past week's election being the most contentious in this century.

The election of 1800 was pretty contentious. It was the race between Thomas Jefferson and incumbent John Adams; Democratic-Republican party versus the Federalists; states governance versus centralized government. Part of the election landscape was the discussion of the Alien-Sedition Acts, 4 bills signed into law by President Adams: "They made it harder for an immigrant to become a citizen (Naturalization Act), allowed the president to imprison and deport non-citizens who were deemed dangerous (Alien Friends Act) or who were from a hostile nation (Alien Enemies Act), and criminalized making false statements that were critical of the federal government (Sedition Act)." (As an aside, hate to admit it, this was the easiest explanation which came from Wikipedia.)

Similar rhetoric then to what we are saying now. However, after all was said and done during that election, President Jefferson's inaugural speech captured what we need to remember, "every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all republicans: we are all federalists." Click here to read the 1st inaugural address in its entirety.

In that spirit, I pray that the next couple of months will be a smooth transition and that we can remember that we are all Americans.

On election day I once again volunteered to be an election judge. It was quite a long and busy day but the thing that struck me was the peaceful voting. Certainly there were people who were quite passionate about their decision (as indicated by their political buttons or comments to us who were working the polls) but there were no arguments or disruptions.

Since there was a large voter turnout, the lines were quite long and at certain times of the day, people had to wait hours to vote. They did so patiently. One upshot of the long lines was that many people talked to the surrounding people in line. As they would break off the line to scan their ballet, I heard over and over again, "Nice meeting you and chatting." How great is that- differing opinions but community building.

Again, my prayer is that now that this is election season is over (phew, finally!), we can move on in building community with all people.

My nephew has some interesting thoughts about voting. I think he is right. Whatever happens (happened) in the election and for the future, we need not be afraid. We can be full of hope. God is in control. Click here to read his blog.

What about you? How was your voting experience? What did you notice? Did you have any heated moments with family and friends over the candidates? Is there any bridge building you can do? What can we do to make our political process better?

As we think about Veterans Day, what better way to show our appreciation for the sacrifices they make than to live as we claim: we are all Americans.

National Days

We Are All Americans