Remembrances and More
Memorial Day is set aside as a time to honor and remember those who have lost their lives while serving in the military. I think it’s important to stop and remember that what we have today is built upon the hard work and sacrifice of so many in the past and present.
Our nation is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, just as we, ourselves, are not perfect. We can, however, strive to make ourselves, our nation, and the world better through our own personal efforts to be our best selves. How we live our lives, what we say and do, does make a difference. Like the proverb about the ripples we create when we toss a pebble into a pond, our words and actions, our positivity and kindness create ripples that touch and affect others. That’s like gazillions of ripples because each of us creates those ripples every single day! If those ripples are positive, good and kind, that’s the energy we are sending out into the world. Maybe that sounds corny, but it’s true. I’ve seen it in the simplest acts of kindness, respect, and patience.
For me, Memorial Day is a day of respect and thanks for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live free and prosper. I honor our ancestors and the warriors who have died, and think about them and the conflicts – whether I think they were right or wrong, good or bad – and thank the fallen for their sacrifice.
I know a great number of people. Many of them have served in the military. Politics aside, most only have the best of intentions to do what they believe is right in the hope of making the world a better place and/or to protecting their loved ones and their fellow citizens. Personally, I remember all first-responders and people of service for their sacrifice, whether they are in the military or not.
I also remember and say a prayer for the families and friends of the fallen, because they too have sacrificed dearly. They must struggle through the grief of loss for the rest of their lives. As someone who has recently lost a special person (Kathy Simmons), though not in military service, I am feeling the fresh pain of loss and the grief that tears at your heart. Like any injury, grief heals. Over time, the pain lessens and scars over, but the loss never completely goes away. If we are lucky, that person becomes a bittersweet memory that stays with us and helps shape us in a positive way as we move forward without them in the physical world. So, yes, I remember the families and friends and those who have served alongside of them and survived. I pray they have been able to find peace and happiness despite their grievous loss, and that the loss blossoms into something beautiful despite the thorns.
During this time of reflection, I thank God for all the amazing people who have touched my life and made it better. That includes friends and fans, in addition to family. As Shakespeare has famously written, “It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all” – ah, but “such sweet sorrow.”
So please, have fun with friends and family, enjoy that barbecue or trip to the beach, take advantage of weekend sales (including ours!), and treat yourself or a loved one to something nice: you deserve it! But also take a moment to remember and honor the fallen. And call or text or email a loved-one just to say, “hi, thinking of you.”
On other fronts, things are going well here and we are making progress in a number of areas including TMNT & Other Strangeness, Yin-Sloth Expeditions, and other things. In fact, other than seeing a movie or two this weekend, I intend to get caught up on work. I should mention, some fans from Canada dropped by the other day. We had a nice time showing them the office and they were thrilled with the TMNT & OS dice, miniatures, art, and layout they saw, as well as some of our plans for their products. It was a fun visit with pleasant visitors. Sean, Wayne, and I were able to hang out with artist Ramon Perez last Friday after work. He was in town for the Motor City Comic Con – a big comic book/media convention. We love that guy. More on these subjects in the next Update.
Enjoy those sales – the Bundles of Holding, in particular – are always a phenomenal savings, and we are happy to offer most of our Rifts World Books and sourcebooks on sale at the same time to boost your spring and summer Rifts campaigns. The sales aren’t intended to be Memorial Day Sales, but are intended to bring you fun and joy. Okay, this feels like a “live long and prosper” moment. Make it so. [Ha, ha, way to bridge the generations. - Sean]
– Kevin Siembieda, Writer, gamer and friend
