I was touched reading excerpts of President Obama's remarks last Wednesday at the Tucson Memorial Service held to honor those killed and injured in the senseless shooting in Arizona. I found the entire text online and was further impressed by Obama's poignant comments. When tragedies occur and we suffer sudden loss most of us go through the questions President Obama articulates below:
"We're shaken from our routines, and forced to look inward. We reflect on the past. Did we spend enough time with an aging parent, we wonder. Did we express our gratitude for all the sacrifices they made for us? Did we tell a spouse just how desperately we loved them, not just once in awhile but every single day?
So sudden loss causes us to look backward - but it also forces us to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. We may ask ourselves if we've shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we are doing right by our children, or our community, and whether our priorities are in order.
We recognize mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame - but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others." President Barack Obama, Tucson Memorial Service, January 13th, 2011
It's an excellent talk and a good reminder. It was a helpful exercise for me to read President Obama's speech and then evaluate my priorities, examine what matters most, and how well I have loved.
