Some years ago, I had the privilege of reading my daughter’s first essay.
She was then in primary school. It was about a small city where all the residents used examples of family values to educate children. Interwoven with love for books and developing virtues to enhance the ability to comprehend the knowledge.
I was amazed by the way how smooth her thoughts were and the idea to write about that. I even had a couple of tears but managed not to be seen by anyone. As excited as a parent can be, I told her that the enjoyment I had is not connected with paternalistic love. That if she will study literature and continue to write keeping originality, she would find happiness doing the job she loves! I said not to “forget” writing diaries and anything that comes on her mind.
It reminded me of my mother, who, even that could not move any part of her body due to the multiple sclerosis illness, wanted to hear my essay about Belgrade when I was nearly the same age as my daughter!
You know, it is that Belgrade city bombed four times in the 20th Century. Austro Hungarian Empire in 1914 WWI bombed it, continuing with Hitler Germany on April the 6th 1941, with National Library as the first target burning 1300 Cyrillic manuscripts from 12th till 18th Century, carrying on with our dear allies bombing Belgrade in 1944. Twentieth Century could not finish without another bombing of Belgarde in 1999 by the same precious allies from two world wars pounding it again. That last bombing, I obviously could not mention to my mother as I wrote the essay in 1978.
So, I read to her my romantic essay about Belgrade and its streets and multiculturality. About the peaceful coexistence of people with many religions and different roots. About Serbs, Jews, Muslims, Croatians, Gypsies, Aromanians( Cincari), Turks, Hungarians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Albanians, and many others!
The message was that of unity and prosperity as everyone, no matter religion or nationality had something to offer for Belgrade to continue growing. The message also was that of forgiving but not forgetting as memories are an essential part of our being. Memories make us wiser and more human as long as we overcome the emotions of hate and antagonism, adding that of cooperation, respect, and universal love.
My mother, who passed away in 1980, nodded in agreement letting out a few tears to be seen! After many years I understood that those tears were let on purpose to be seen as she wanted to create a memory!
And to mention that those two ladies of my life were born in the same month with three days date difference.
In the meantime, my daughter graduated English literature from a UK university and started teaching English and even contributed with an article here at philosophyofgoodnews. Her article is titled ” The process of becoming” published the first time in 2017.
Then just a week ago, two articles were published at the web site she made with her friends, those that inspired me to write these words!
Especially the second one about the passion for photography and
the statement that photos are “universal need of humans to preserve memories.”
It is precisely what all of us should do! Preserve memories, whatever they are! Memories are a part of what we are! Without them, we are lost!
That is the opposite of modern “gurus” teaching to forget what happened, to throw the past behind, and to proceed anew. And then when we do that we understand that something is missing! And that is our memories!
I see myself as the connection of my late mother with my daughter, I must confess that this article is born to, guess what?
Create a memory!
Memories have energy, and if we think about them, what ever they are harmful or not, they are always useful! They have the great ability to solve today’s issues we all face, much more comfortable making us happier and wiser!
Cherish your memories as they are you!
Here is the link of the article!
https://thisunrealcountry.com/2020/07/01/i-take-my-piece-of-sky/
Philosophyofgoodnews
5/7/2020
Connect and Respect
Philosophyofgoodnews 