Milestones, Miracles & Memories Part One
Milestones
Our Roman ancestors were a clever lot. Among other things, they came up with the idea of milestones. The first Roman milestones appeared on the Appian way. At Centre Rome is the “Golden Milestone” marking the center of the empire. This Golden Milestone inspires the Zero Milestone in Washington, D.C. All roads in the United States flow from this point. Today we take for granted the plethora of directional signs, all “descendents” of the Roman milestones. Now we think of milestones as events marking a significant change or stage in development. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, reunions and passings serve as milestones in our lives. The greatest milestone we may ever experience, however. is the quick development and effective distribution of the Covid19 vaccine. This medical miracle is giving us back our ability to enjoy community again. What a blessing!
A Milestone Miracle
Amazingly, in only 12-14 months, scientists identify the the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, apply for and receive emergency approval. WOW! The development of a safe and effective vaccine has never been faster. Is this a wonder of science or a miracle? I just love these thoughts by Samuel Benson, Opinion writer for Desert News.
“When Jonas Salk developed a polio vaccine in 1955, he was praised as a “miracle worker.” Salk deflected the praise. To him, his vaccine was a discovery, not a creation; he was simply tapping into the universe’s evolutionary process, or “life force.†When a journalist asked him in 1955 who owned the patent on his vaccine, he balked. “There is no patent,â€he said. “Could you patent the sun?â€
What some call God, Salk called “cosmic consciousness†or dynamism. ‘Since the Big Bang, he believe(d), the universe has been kaleidoscopically unfolding according to certain deeply ingrained principles,’ a New York Times story said of Salk. His polio vaccine was the result of that process, harnessed and directed.”
Perhaps the miracle is that humans, somehow under the direction or influence of God, come together in community and build on the successes of previous generations. Our memories and our past are therefore important to the unfolding of God’s plan. We have better science and technology, standing on the shoulders of the “giants” who have come before us. Our memories are sweeter as we build better relationships, recalling past mistakes and doing our best to right them. We continually reevaluate how we interact with one another and work to bring our behaviors more in line with the cosmic plan.
Making Memories
The vaccine has made it possible to renew the process of memory-making. Milestones can be miracle moments: Taking advantage of opportunities to love one another more deeply, to mend fences, to forgive and move on, and to model for our children how good memories are made. How important this is for all of us to move forward and contribute to making the world a better place! The Delicious Memories mission is to create milestone memories and to record them for family and friends. Please join me in sharing our past in hope of securing a more perfect future.
