ANTIQUE

 

Six chairs used by my great-grandparents could be considered antiques.  They certainly are old but may not be rare.  You may have old items handed down in your family but the value may not be in what you might sell them for.  They could be a part of your family's history but often have outlasted their usefulness, perhaps just taking up space in the attic.

The lesson may be that even though we are old, we don't want to be antique.  Our possessions may or may not have value to future generations.  While we are alive, let's hope that our thoughts and attitudes are not old-fashioned, that we can be part of today.  The style of our possessions may be out-dated and not valued by the modern-day world.  Our thinking can be up-dated as we age.  We can pass on memories of our past,  even our possessions that we have accumulated.  As each decade passes, our wisdom should increase especially if we allow our thinking to evolve and be fresh. 

If someone could not see you but only hear or read your words, what would they think? Would you seem contemporary or old-fashioned?  Don't become an antique.  Be useful and keep up with the times. 

DISCOVERY

Discover something new.  Columbus and his men sailed west to find a new route to the east but instead discovered another land.  This land was already inhabited by indigenous people.  These two groups of people had to discover a way to relate to each other.  America is still adding to this story.

Discovering something new helps humans survive, evolve, and get along with each other.  The physical sciences add to our knowledge of the world.   Social sciences help us understand each other and form better relationships.  As America looks back on its history, we celebrate heroes and events and also see mistakes that were made.

As we look back on our personal history, we may take pride in our accomplishments and at the same time, see mistakes that we made.  We can discover ways to change our attitudes and behavior and make amends.        

Always be open to discover something new about ourselves, each other, and the world.