The Highway that is Life

Among the many movies I consider my favorites, my one favorite animated movie is Cars, which I viewed for the first time 10 years ago this month.

There's part of me that yearns to live at a different pace, and that's a major part of the plot of Cars.  Lightning McQueen is going at lightning speed through life--and sure, that pun can be intended.

But then his circumstances catch up with him, and he then has to really slow down upon getting stuck paving the street in Radiator Springs.  While going at a different pace, he learns about what really matters in life, and slowly but surely experiences a shift in attitude.  At the time I watched it, the movie really spoke to me, and reminded me of how important it is to live life not self-focused, but other-focused.

I feel that the Brad Paisley song, "Find Yourself", has lyrics that really speak to what Lightning undergoes in the movie, not to mention in my own life: I watched this movie for the first time in the summer after my first year at ValpU.  I had a rough transition from high school to college, and in the painful separation from home, I was able to discover a lot about myself, which is part of why this movie resonates with me.

I also like how Route 66 figures prominently into the movie's setting.  Somehow, a few years before, I got fascinated with Route 66 culture, which resonates with my desire to go at life through a different pace that's more conducive to reflection on what's around me.

I have shared scenes from this movie in my RE classes, as I often find connections in movies to the spiritual life.  A few years ago, the curriculum in use had a lesson that gives the students a chance to reflect on what really matters in life.  I showed the scene where Sally shares with Lightning about her previous career that seemed like it was great, but brought her little satisfaction.

I have also regularly shared the court scene toward the beginning of the movie, when Sally urges Doc to sentence Lightning to fix the road.  At the end of her monologue, she exclaims, "...we are a town worth fixing!"  I think about how sin has wrecked us, but God looks at us and declares us to be worth fixing.  He sent His Son to reconcile us back to the Father.

When I got asked by at least one student in class about my favorite (non-Church-related) song, since I had the movie on hand in class, I decided to play for them "Life is a Highway", which resonates with the sense of journey that I see that life is.  I recognize how travels can be life-changing by bringing us new perspectives.

And in abnormal times like these, "Behind the Clouds" has so much to say to us.

In addition to owning the movie, I also bought its soundtrack on a CD album.  Every so often, especially when I go on a trip, I enjoy listening to the music.  It helps put me in the mindset of being open to new adventures that await me, and embracing what really makes life worth living.

Patriotic Greetings 2020: Who the American People Are

Patriotic Greetings!

It's time to party like it's 1776 all over again, as we recall the events pertaining to Independence Day.

Following the conclusion of conflict between Britain and France in 1763, tensions increased between Britain and the 13 British North American colonies as the government steadily increased control over colonial affairs.  As the colonists resisted, the British government reacted more harshly, until the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, started war and then the momentum increased for colonial independence.

On June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee presented the following resolution before the Continental Congress: "Resolved. That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

After some initial discussion, the Congress decided to schedule a vote on the resolution for July 1 as the colonies used the coming weeks to consider their stance on the resolution.  Meanwhile, Congress appointed a committee to draft a declaration explaining the move for independence should it be needed.  Virginia delegate Thomas Jefferson was given the task of composing the document.

On July 1, Congress discussed the resolution.  The following day, Tuesday, July 2, 1776, Congress adopted the independence resolution by a unanimous vote.  After discussing the draft of the declaration, they adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4.

Several years of conflict followed, with a decisive American victory at Yorktown in October 1781, followed by the official end with the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783.

A new constitutional government soon was established.  One of its provisions was for a decennial census, the first of which was in 1790.  And this year of 2020 is time for another Census.  In the midst of the year in which the US government is collecting information about those who live here, this occasion of Independence Day is a great time to consider who we are as the people of the United States.

I make it a custom to watch one of my favorite movies, 1776, around this time of year, to view its representation of the story of the independence movement in the Continental Congress.  After Richard Henry Lee presents his resolution, the Congress discusses it.  Following John Dickinson's arguments that it's better to stay with Britain, Benjamin Franklin responds, "We've spawned a new race here--rougher, simpler, more violent, more enterprising, and less refined. We're a new nationality, Mr. Dickinson--we require a new nation."

Certainly, over the course of decades being far from the Mother Country of Britain, the 13 colonies developed a distinct sense of character, and the colonists' exasperation is understandable when Britain moved to exercise increased control over the colonies after 1763.  

There was furthermore a sense that the 13 colonies had identities that were almost like different countries. Yet even as they came together to bind themselves under a stronger central government, they still retained a distinct identity, and it's interesting to see how that plays out among the 50 states today.

When we consider in our present-day sense of identity, there's so much to incorporate for who the people of the United States are, given the vast geographic and cultural diversity contained in our country.

We are a varied people who shiver through dark, extremely cold winters in Utqiagvik, Alaska, (Barrow) and sweat through intensely hot summers in the dry deserts of Arizona and humid Miami.  We are clustered in big cities and live out in wide open plains and nestled among mighty mountains.

It's interesting to think about how aspects of popular US culture resulted from the mingling of different cultures.  Music is one prominent example, with styles like jazz and bluegrass.

Traveling through major cities in the United States, a person can encounter a variety of businesses pertaining to different ethnic groups, which tend to cluster in neighbors that create a rich tapestry just within each individual city that reflects the patchwork quilt of the whole country itself.  All this variety is contained within one country.

Yet we are united by defining characteristics that arose from those pivotal days in 1776.  The United States came into existence because a group of people committed themselves to a set of principles, which is unique in the history of countries in the world.  Those principles are a significant part of our character, and our history is defined by a constant striving to more perfectly realize them.

The Continental Congress started the ball rolling in response to Britain's acts to limit the colonists.  But then, people starting realizing that there was much more work to be done so that all people could live freely.  We owe so much to those who have served in the United States Armed Forces for over two centuries to uphold our standards here in the homeland and throughout the world, especially as we mark the 75th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II in 2020.

But civilian citizens, too, have advocated for a fuller realization of our founding principles.  We've been through many struggles, especially in securing the blessings of liberty for all people.  When certain individuals get in positions of power and misuse it, there are plenty of people who don't just stand idle:  They courageously take action, speak out, and work to effect meaningful change.  Through it all, we have demonstrated ourselves to be a hardy people, resilient in the face of great challenges.

For decades after independence, abolitionists worked for the freedom of all those enslaved, up to when slavery was finally abolished owing to the Sectional War of the 1860's.  The struggle continued for the freed African-Americans to experience fully the blessings of liberty into the Civil Rights Movement and even today as this nation grapples with how to change our systems to prevent more tragic deaths like those of George Floyd.

Recently, I read Nikki Haley's memoir, With All Due Respect, in which she describes her role, as South Carolina's governor, in the aftermath of the tragic shooting in Charleston in June 2015.  In the angst of that situation, she rose to the occasion to bring people together, and spearheaded the successful effort to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the South Carolina state capitol. She demonstrated the same kind of resilience her family developed as they struggled to fit in society after her parents moved from India to South Carolina to embrace what the USA had to offer.  It was also incredible to see the powerful sense of grace that overflowed as the victims' families expressed forgiveness to the shooter, Dylann Roof, and how, instead of race riots erupting, people came together in solidarity.

That's an important principle as we consider that as the people of the United States, we have come together to embrace a common homeland although we have vastly different origins.  The story of the people of the United States began well before 1776, as various indigenous people groups established themselves throughout the Americas, and have maintained a strong sense of attachment to the land ever since.  They were joined by settlers from various European countries, many of whom came to embrace the resources of the land, first the colonists who settled on the Eastern seaboard, and then the pioneers who advanced westward beyond the Appalachians, like described in David McCullough's book The Pioneers, and then beyond the Mississippi River, leaving the comforts of home to forge a new life in unfamiliar circumstances.  The story of the USA is defined by the continuous immigration throughout two centuries of people from all over the world.

I realize my former co-worker Nincy, originally from India, is celebrating Independence Day this year for the first time since being naturalized as a US citizen last October.  When we worked together, I was aware that she was in the naturalization process, and so it was pretty exciting to receive the news back in October and see the photo she sent me posing with her naturalization certificate.  I immediately replied with words of congratulations and patriotic, celebratory images. 

As a natural-born citizen, I have great admiration for people who strive through the steps of the long process of naturalization that is a hallmark of the people of the United States.  I've read accounts of people attending naturalization ceremonies, and they are marked by great emotion and much-deserved celebration.  It's pretty profound to consider how all these immigrants and naturalized citizens bring something to this country to enrich the tapestry, even as this country leaves a profound mark on them.

Indeed, all of us have the chance to make an impact on this country, as we come from varied backgrounds to grow in a common sense of character that has been present all throughout our history.

I think back to last summer when I attended a wreath-laying ceremony for President Ford on his birthday at his Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, and how often in their remarks, the various speakers talked about his sense of character in a difficult time in government when he became president.  I also learned a lot about Herbert Hoover's sense of character, which was instilled in him starting in his childhood in West Branch, IA.  He went on from living in a two-room cottage to earning great wealth from a lucractive mining career, and then used his resources to help millions of starving people throughout the world.  It was amazing to stand in the very house on Downey Avenue where he was born on his birthday and consider how he went on to make an impact.

And we can see the role of character going all the way back to the founders' generation.  In the midst of the challenging and abnormal circumstances of the current pandemic, I recalled an episode of Liberty's Kids, one of my favorite TV shows, which aired when I was in 6th grade.  At the end of the episode "Bostonians", we hear Abigail Adams, voiced by Annette Bening, quote from a letter that she wrote to her 12 1/2-year-old son John Quincy.  (By the way, you can find all episodes of that show on YouTube for free.)

The letter has some heady content, and it's clear Abigail had high standards for John Quincy.  In it, she wrote: "Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities, which would otherwise lay dormant, wake into Life, and form the character of the hero and the Statesmen."  I shared that excerpt with my 8th grade Religious Education students at a prayer gathering we held for them to affirm and celebrate them at the conclusion of their time in the RE program.

No matter our age, those profound words speak to all of us.  In whatever challenges we have faced over the years, whether it be pandemic, war, or the struggle for the greater realization of the vision of freedom laid out by the Founders, we have had the opportunity to grow in those virtues that build strong character, which enables us to make our country, and our world, a better place.

In all our variety of origins, places of residence, and cultural aspects, character binds us in a common identity as people of the United States, which drives us to strive in doing good for one another in our country and throughout the world.  In times of crisis, goodness arises as people take action to help each other, drawing upon our strength of character to overcome trouble. 

So upon the occasion of Independence Day, let's celebrate who we are as a people, and continue striving each day to live the character that defines us. 

God Bless the United States of America,

Paul

Above, Mom photographed me in the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C., during our visit there on May 19, 2019, during our trip to the city.  I'm standing by the wall where the original engrossed copy of the Declaration of Independence was on display when this building was the US Patent Office.  That document became an integral part of our character as people of the USA.

Below is a decorative gazebo near the south end of the Galena Avenue Bridge over the Rock River in Dixon, IL, along the historic transcontinental Lincoln Highway corridor.

The people of the USA have striven greatly over the years, covering great geographical and cultural expanses, while remaining bound by a common character.

 

P.S. This is my annual Patriotic Greetings note that I first wrote in 2008, and which has appeared annually on my blog since 2013.

Here are links to view the versions of these notes that appear on my blog for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

If you'd like a print copy, please feel free to contact me.  A contact form is available on the sidebar of this blog page.

The Legacy of 15 Years Larger than Myself

My thoughts turn back toward three extraordinarily significant years in my life as today I mark 15 years since my graduation from Percy Julian Middle School.

Wednesday, June 8, 2005, was the day that capped off my middle school years, a time that was truly more than about being at school, but an experience that shaped me so greatly.  As I walked across the stage at approximately 8:25 PM CDT that evening, based on the timestamp on the photo from that day, I had so much to recall.

Furthermore, that evening was a bit bittersweet, for as I looked back, I realized how special middle school was for me, and I was sad to leave it, knowing that I would never have anything quite like it in my life again, especially before adulthood.

In the midst of all my mixed feelings and emotions that evening, I could have never realized that while I was leaving my time as a middle schooler, I would have the incredible opportunity to go back to middle school, even reliving it vicariously through teaching Religious Education to middle schoolers at Ascension Parish, starting over 8 years later.  

As I constantly acknowledge, teaching Religious Education is such a profound experience for me because it is the convergence of so many significant parts of my life, especially middle school and college years, when my character was shaped so significantly, especially my faith.  Certainly that's why being in the RE classroom touches something deep down inside of me.  And in no other experience in my life have I given of myself so much as I have done with my RE students, who, based on counting just now, number 178 students over the course of 7 years.

It's incredible to think that 15 years ago, those 178 youths were either small children, or, as has now become the case with those I just had in class this past RE year, hadn't even been born yet.  The ways that I grew as a person, especially in faith, laid the foundation for how I would make an impact on them years later.  It's just like how my Julian Middle School experience as part of the first group to graduate after 3 years in the brand new middle school building, laid the foundation for what has come for all those who have followed my classmates and me as middle schoolers in Oak Park in the years since, including many of my students.

Just as with how I laid that foundation for the Oak Park middle school experience, I am able to take my part in something much larger than myself by handing on this gift of faith I have received to my students.  Certainly, being part of something much larger than me is a major legacy of my middle school year.

Teaching RE has given me the chance to impact those 178 lives by making an investment that will surely last for eternity as its goal is for them to reach God's presence in Heaven.  And that's what has driven me in my ministry to the students.  Furthermore, it gave me so much reason to celebrate back on May 19 as we gathered virtually to honor and affirm the 8th graders for their participation in the RE program as we sent them forth into the next stages of their lives.  In spite of the loss of time spent together in class for the last few weeks of the RE year, I was so glad to have the chance to connect virtually, especially for a prayer gathering as we would have typically upon the conclusion of the year.  It was special to do it on May 19 as the anniversary of my college graduation, as I could reflect on how my college years converged with my middle school years to bring me alive in the faith that I worked to hand on to those youths over the past year.  The prayer gathering certainly helped me feel a sense of closure, and I sure hope it did for those gathered.

Watching the virtual graduation ceremonies for the Oak Park middle schools this past weekend really touched something deep down inside of me as I recalled my own graduation, and what it meant for me to celebrate my middle school years that day, even as I celebrate the new group of Julian alumni, as well as at Brooks Middle School.  (I tell my students that I almost ended up as a student at Brooks.)

June 8 has indeed been a special day in my life for these past 15 years.  And as I recall the events of my last day at Julian, and then graduation that evening, I think about all that contributed to giving this day its meaning, which has lived well beyond that day for 15 years and beyond. 

Dad got this photo of me after the conclusion of the virtual prayer gathering for the RE 8th grade students on May 19, 2020, as I finished off another great year of RE and the chance to engage with the faith that was brought alive back in middle school for me.

A Special Cheerleader

My Mom recently marked a milestone birthday.  I made sure it was a very cherry birthday for her with lots of cherry-flavored gifts.

As I think about the relationship I've had with Mom throughout my life, I recall how my Mom has sought to be a cheerleader for my brother and me.

I think about how Mom has supported my various interests.  For example, she would take turns with Dad to read to me in the evening before bedtime from a young age.  At one point, when I was a little older, perhaps inspired by a book of William J. Bennett, I decided for bedtime reading that we would go through the Federalist Papers.  It was challenging to understand the style of writing, but Mom made the effort to decipher the essays as we read them and then offer me an explanation.

And I think about how Mom has gone with me to historic sites and places, supporting my interest in going to them and engaging with what they offer.  She indeed has taken interest in my interests.

In the midst of my pursuits in life, for education and career, Mom has sought to support me.  It was especially helpful when my pursuits got challenging that Mom offered her support, even sometimes appearing more enthusiastic than me about what I was after.  And she offers a listening ear when I need to talk about something on my mind.

Having gotten such support throughout my life has made me eager to help others, especially as I think about encouraging the students I teach in RE so they can strive for the greatness that comes when we live out our call to holiness.

So Happy Birthday, Mom.  Thanks for being the cheerleader.

Post-College: 7 Years

I come once again to the anniversary of that event which inspired the launch of this blog, because today, it has been 7 years since my graduation from Valparaiso University on May 19, 2013.

A few months ago, I was thinking a lot about the impact that my years at ValpU have had on me in my post-college life, when I marked 10 years since starting there.  Those initial days on campus were marked by a series of good decisions that positively impacted my life.  And it started even before my first day of classes, when I joined the community of St. Teresa's.  I encountered God through the vitality of the community there, and I continued to participate in what St. Teresa's had to offer me throughout my 4 years at ValpU.  Truly, August 23 has annually become a day of celebration for me, one of those days that's nearly as important and celebratory as my own birthday, because it is the day I first attended Mass at St. Teresa's.  What happened on August 23, 2009, speaks to what I celebrated on May 19, 2013, earning my degree and the personal growth I attained, especially in renewed zeal for faith.

And that's the spirit of celebration I felt within me when I went back to Valparaiso last year on August 25 to celebrate 10 years since my start at ValpU.  I made sure to attend Mass at St. Teresa's.  While Father Kevin has moved on to another parish in Northwest Indiana, the community is vibrant as ever, with Father Chris offering so much to the community as pastor.

And I was back at St. Teresa's 6 months later, in February.  The student-focus Mass that used to be at 9 PM was moved earlier in the evening to 5 PM.  When I heard about this in August, I realized it would be a great opportunity for me to go to St. Teresa's and help prepare and serve the meal for the students.

I made the arrangements, and I was there on Sunday, February 16 to do just that.  It was a special time to be back in this community, paying it forward, and connecting with the students who are participating in the St. Teresa's community, just like I did.  (It's also nice that I had at least one connection with the students because in my pilgrim group for World Youth Day 2019 was a current ValpU student.)

There's also no doubt that my Religious Education students have benefitted from the impact of St. Teresa's in my life, because leaving college with renewed zeal for faith has made me eager to do my part in handing on the gift of faith.  I have made a point each year with each new group of students to share the story of my faith journey, and I make very clear how St. Teresa's influenced my life.

The impact is immense, especially when I think about how, upon the conclusion of yet another RE year, I can now say I've been the teacher of all the siblings in multiple families.

Back in December, one of my students gave me a photo greeting card her family created.  As I looked at the photo with this student, and her older brother and sister, I became marvelously aware of the reach of the impact I've had by investing in the lives of my students.

That's my way of keeping that flame burning that appears in the ValpU Shield of Character.  Because the flame stoked by others is something I keep burning so that I may do my part in God's work of enlightening the way for others.

Kathy took the above photo of me in the St. Teresa's kitchen as I scoop ice cream for the college students to enjoy.

Here are links to read the blog posts on my graduation, and my reflections for One Year, Two Years, Three Years, Four Years, Five Years, and Six Years.

100 Years of Impact: Pope St. John Paul II

The world was destined to undergo major change 100 years ago today when Karol Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, Poland.

And the impact he had on the world really took off when he became Pope John Paul II on October 16, 1978.

His influence became even more special since April 27, 2014, when he was canonized Pope St. John Paul II.

I grew up hearing about him in various ways, certainly every time I went to Mass and the priest invoked his name in the Eucharistic prayer.

The first story I remember hearing about him was when I was in Religious Education in elementary school:  I was reading some type of resource and it shared a brief article about how he almost died from an assassination attempt, and later went to prison to extend forgiveness to his would-be assassin.  That was a pretty radical demonstration of Christian faith.

I learned more about him when he celebrated his 25th Jubilee as Pope on October 16, 2003.  I was in middle school at the time, and I was growing in awareness of and appreciation of my Roman Catholic identity, and learning more about what he did in his life and papacy certainly fed into that sense of identity.  Something similar happened a year and a half later when he reached the end of his life as I watched the rituals unfold to honor his life.  In the coming months, multiple biographical films were released.

From all this, I became aware of the immense impact he had on the world.

Certainly his formative years poised him for this.  Both of his parents had passed away by the time he was a young adult.  He endured the oppressions of first the Nazi regime, and then the communist regime in Poland.  He managed to study in secret for the priesthood when the Nazis forbade it.  (In another example of how he embraced faith radically, in a scene in a movie I watched on his life, he powerfully acknowledged the humanity of a Nazi guard when his friend seriously injured the guard in an effort to avoid arrest.)  In times of great difficulty, he built up the resilience that would allow him to have such a major effect influence on the world.

He took some stands against the communist regime as he rose through the ranks from priest to bishop to archbishop to Cardinal.

Then, as Pope, he helped launch a significant nonviolent movement that ended communism in Europe.  There was a lot of power on display when he came back to Poland, and at Mass, the crowd chanted, "We want God!"

He also traveled around the world to meet with people, even reaching out to non-Roman Catholics.  I've heard many stories from people about how they saw him during his visit to the United States in 1979, including my parents, who saw him pass by while he traveled along Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago.

He truly became so beloved, and people were deeply moved as they watched him endure deteriorating health as he reached the end of his life, and mourned deeply when he passed.  It's incredible to think of how Rome was packed with people who came for his funeral, and the line to view his body ended up having a 24 hour-long wait, and could be seen from space satellites.  And the masses recognized the great holiness he exhibited, chanting "Subito Sancto" at his funeral, urging that he be immediately canonized.

The world continues to feel his influence.  I know that full well from attending World Youth Day in Panama in January 2019.  He was committed to empowering young people to embrace their faith and put it into action.  His presence certainly looms large at World Youth Day events, which he started in the 1980s.  Both Popes Benedict and Francis have done so well in carrying on the intentions of Popeo St. John Paul II at World Youth Day.  I feel the event also speaks to the entire generation of Roman Catholics who grew up during his papacy, so that when it reached its end, there was a sense of how much he influenced young people given that anyone under the age of 27, like me, would have known no other pope in their lifetimes.

Something else on which rests his mark that I've learned more about in recent years is Theology of the Body.  The more I learn about it, the more I am floored by its empowering message of embracing who we are as a great gift by which we glorify God, and how we make God's presence known in special and specific ways through our God-given gender.

I also think back upon the day in RE class a little more than a year ago when one of the Mundelein seminarian students assisting at our parish, John Washington, came to speak to 8th graders.  He described that he grew up Protestant in the Southeast US, and reading Witness to Hope, the biography of John Paul II, lead to his conversion to Roman Catholicism, and then sensing his call to the priesthood.

A couple of months later, in May 2019, my Mom and I took a trip to Washington, D.C.  While planning for it, I found out about the National Shrine of St. John Paul II.  I desired to visit this shrine, which was especially fitting since we went there the day after his 99-year birthday.  During our short visit, we were there for the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayer at 3 PM, and then lingered for a time during Eucharistic adoration.  Last year, I came to really embrace the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayer, and Pope St. John Paul II was instrumental in establishing Divine Mercy Sunday and canonizing St. Sister Faustina, so we would have a regular opportunity to meditate on the mercy flowing forth from the heart of Jesus.  As part of my Lenten observance, I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day of Lent, and then continued it through the Divine Mercy Novena, which I thought was a fitting way to look ahead to the centennial of his birth.

Also during my visit, I went to visit the chapel that has a vial of his blood.  And I carry with me some mementos from that visit:  Since the Knights of Columbus furnished funds for the shrine, there is a special guest register at the welcome desk there that I signed as a Knight, and then I got some thank-you gifts, including a card holder that is still on the back of my smartphone device.  (Please go to the link for Washington, DC, trip to see photos from the shrine, by scrolling down a bit.)

As we mark the centennial of his birth today, I acknowledge that the impact he had on the Roman Catholic Church and the world itself will persist for a long time.  And I can say that I witnessed part of the impact he had in my own lifetime.  I look forward to learning more about him and his legacy, especially reading Witness to Hope, as well as his writings, like Divine Mercy and Theology of the Body.

Surely he was able to make such a difference in the world because he was grounded in unshakable faith, staked upon the reality of the Paschal Mystery, the death and Resurrection of Christ.  That is why is so well-known for the statement, "Be not afraid!"

His life offers us a great example of facing any challenges that come our way, powerfully aware of God's abiding presence with us in faith.

Happy Birthday Pope St. John Paul II!

Intercede for us, so we may go forth unafraid to live out our call to holiness.

The Lady with the Lamp at 200

It was 200 years ago today, on May 12, 1820, that Florence Nightingale was born, aptly enough, in Florence, Italy.

That was one of the first things I read as a child when I opened up A Picture Book of Florence Nightingale, a book I frequently checked out from the Maze Branch of the Oak Park Public Library. Perhaps my Mom's profession as a nurse made that particular biography book stand out among others, already having a sense of what nursing work is about.

It's incredible to think that Ms. Nightingale's parents were displeased with her desire to pursue nursing as her work, because there was an idea that it was low-down, dirty work.

We have hand Ms. Nightingale much credit for nursing's place as an important profession today.  She demonstrated the important nature of nursing through her work caring for people during the Crimean War, and even in England.  Eventually, her influence went all over the world as nurses she trained spread out.  Patients came to know her as the "Lady with the Lamp", as she made her rounds checking on them.

It was interesting to see her make an appearance in the Victoria show during season 3, in a short conversation with Queen Victoria in which Ms. Nightingale talked about her work.

Certainly, today, nurses have a crucial role in our society.  Even before the current pandemic situation, I was fully aware of that role.  I think what stands out so greatly about nurses is the strong component of compassion in their work, enhancing it beyond just physical care for their patients.  Maybe that's part of what inspired my Mom to do the work of nursing, for she once told me she wanted a job where she could make a difference.

And so there's much to celebrate as we mark the bicentennial of Florence Nightingale's birth, because for these past 200 years, the world has been made a better place by nurses who, like the SC Johnson commercial says, dare to care.

Ms. Nightingale certainly dared to care, and her mark is still upon the realm of modern nursing, including in the Nightingale Pledge that nurses recite upon entering their profession.  Mom tells me she recited it upon graduating from nursing school.

Nurses reciting the pledge promise to provide the best care in exercising their profession, living "in purity", as well as to uphold high ethical standards in handling personal and family matters that come to their attention, and assisting the doctor with "loyalty".

For the past 200 years, it is in the noble work of upholding such high standards that those who need medical care receive the benefits of the nursing profession and Florence Nightingale's legacy.