Families Affected by Wars

The word "Family" holds so many meanings & connotations.
The Immediate Family
The Extended Family
Family of States
Family of Nations
Family of Man
Gaia Mother Earth
Sons & Daughters of God

The panorama above is a memorial to the fallen soldiers & civilians of the wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan & Iraq, set up in a front yard in the small village of Blue Hill, Maine. Each white flag represents a soldier killed, the blue flags represent those lives lost from the state of Maine.

Each time I pass this memorial, with the VFW Post right across the street, and see it expanding I can't help but think & feel the loss. Looking at the individual flags I also feel the deep sympathy & impact the loss must have on each of their families & loved ones.

It seems that the increasing & expanding decline in the positive moral values of love, compassion & tolerance are being overwhelmed by the negatives of greed, hatred & the violence brought by intolerance.

What life-messages are being passed down to our future generation(s) through our current examples by deed and action? What current family moral values are forging our future country cultures? How will these cultural values (continue to) effect our Mother Earth?

While current values portray to our children
-->(through our media) that it is acceptable to lie, cheat & steal to win "the game" (Survivor, Big Brother, Bachelor)
--> and Corporations lie, cheat & steal to keep their status quo for profit by squelching innovation & change from damaging & deadly current practices & (old) technology towards alternative "earth friendly" energy, agricultural & genetic choices)
--> and Politicians and individuals of power & influence continue to "get away with" immoral & criminal acts & behavior while the increasing majority of society seems not to care .....or is just so accustomed to this "decline" that it is accepted as "normal" to our upcoming generations....

We as, human kind, are one big "Family" very dependent upon our Mother Earth. It is our children who are learning from their "elders" (and now the media). Where does the responsibility lie to make sure "we" are setting the proper examples and models?

Every child has a mother & a father.......
but over my time as an educator.....
fewer and fewer of our children seem to have real "Parents" anymore.

What are the children of the families who have lost (a) loved one(s) to what many view as senseless "wars/conflicts" learning from all of this.

What has happened to the (once) accepted (family) moral values of
Love thy Neighbor
Compassion for Others (differences)
Peace on Earth

hmmmm.... were there Romans pondering the same at their time in history just before the barbarians came & dark ages came upon their civilization?
How many of us today are ready or will be, when the "lights go out"?

When I see the memorial above I am filled with all of the emotions & thoughts mentioned above.... but I also try to have hope and continue to be a positive role model to the children & families I am lucky to "teach." Feeling more like a single candle in a darkening room.

Especially to those families affected by war decisions made by those in power I extend my deep sympathy.

My apologies for any offense to others.

Regards from our farm on the coast of Maine USA
—L

USA-Canada / USA-Maine

Lat: 44° 24' 50" N
Long: 69° 36' 12" W

→ maps.google.com [EXT]

Precision is: Unknown / Undeclared.

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