Tuesday, 5 February 2008

National Anthems

Quite a few years ago, I started to appreciate the national anthems of different countries; take the anthem of UK for example, I was totally moved by its tunes, it sounded really solemn; and well, it did not really matter that I could not understand the words.
Then, the anthem of Israel, it sounds historic; as a condensed version of the dream of Zion of the Israel nation. One day sitting on the train, a phone rang, and the ring-tone was Israel's national anthem; I thought there was a Jew; but no, when she picked up the phone, she started talking Cantonese! How interesting!
And I love the US anthem for the history it embodies; the Civil War, the national flag, and it fully reveals the patriotism of the Americans.
I also love O Canada; just like its broad land; the song sounds so broad, I mean, the melody actually does make me see a scene of its endless plains and mountains.
Australian anthem, "we are young and free"; lovely song; the tune isn't all that unique, but the words are meaningful.
National anthem of PRC, well, if it was not for the reason the song was chosen to be the anthem of Communist China; I'd rather like this song; in fact, what other song would better suit the current situation in China? Government exploiting the people to the extreme; and the people need to "stand up".
Of course, I won't, and most of us won't have an opportunity to sing all the meaningful national anthems as our own right; it does make me think, hundreds of countries in the world, some are really priveledged, the others aren't; but one day these are all going to pass, what's left for us to think about is, will we have a pass to enter the Kingdom Eternal?
Or are we so shortsighted that, all we see and think about is what's in this life and in this world?

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