A good friend of mine sent me a picture while visiting the gravesites of the Faithful Departed on All Souls’ Day, 02 November 2021. The picture was like a painted genre scene.
The scene looked humble, yet it invoked a sense of sadness and wonder. I will attempt to describe the picture the best way I can to give your mind’s eye the closest image of the scene.
The road by the cemetery looked desolate and at a not so far distance over the tree tops looms the Capitol building of the nation. It was early dusk with the last fading embers of the sunset luminating the horizon and a few grayish clouds beneath the light pinkish/bluish sky. At the end of a long strand of cloud formed what seems to be like a pair of hands reaching out as if longing to embrace something or someone and there is a puff of gray clouds that goes from the horizon up toward the hands as if it’s smoke coming from the dying embers of the sunset, bidding farewell to another day.
I thought about the Faithful Departed and their contribution to this nation and wondered if anyone felt the same. I may be a sentimental fool, but as I get older, I often reflect back to stories my mom used to share with me about her life during WWII. Her experiences and the struggles most Palauans were faced with during that trying period of time is something hard to fathom in this day and age. But, our elders were resilient and persevered through it all. The loss of loved ones leaves a void in one’s life that can never be filled. As Veterans Day approaches, I think about the struggles a lot of Veterans are faced with as well as that of their families, especially the ones whose veteran family member is no longer with them.
I hope this Veterans Day, a small American and Palauan flag are placed on a Veteran’s grave. I also hope the community show their appreciation in honoring the Belauan men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces by attending the Veterans Day parade and thank the Veterans for their services and let’s not forget the Veteran families for their selfless support by keeping up with the home front, so their loved ones can do their missions well.
We often take life for granted and there are those who get a free ride, enjoying the fruits of other people’s labors without a care in the world. We live in a very selfish world.
Then, there are those who are very quick to condemn individuals in elected positions when matters do not appeal to them and disregarding the ethics of good governance.
There should be gatekeepers in place to help correct the imbalance in order for our small nation to grow and glow globally. Only then can our Faithful Departed who tirelessly paved the way for us to enjoy a democratic society rest in peace.
Poignant Memories
