The Field’s Future

PART THREE | THE FUTURE

This is not an exaggeration: traditions are fully formed living things with a respiratory system. They breathe, inhaling the obligations of those who hold them dear and exhaling their meaning into the vastness of the world. But, like all other life forms, they are vulnerable to neglect, disinterest, and the slow withering of memory. The Field of Memories, now a full decade old, is not only a tribute to lives once lived but also a decisive testament to our will to continue remembering.

It is tempting to view the flags, nearly a thousand strong, as something permanent. It seems as if they grow like lush green grass each spring, but that’s an illusion. The Field does not simply appear magically. It is created through planning, effort, and hard work. Lots of hard work.

We’re 10 years out from our maiden year, and the question now is not whether the Field should continue but how it should proceed.

The future may bring a wave of new technologies, such as digital dedications or some form of interactive remembrance. Though there may be new rituals, the Field will continue to evoke strong emotions. The power of the Field comes from the human act of remembrance, not from technology or novelty. Therefore, even as new tools or rituals emerge, the essence of the Field remains rooted in its personal connection, collective memory, and emotional continuity.

That is why the Field will continue to matter, not solely as a tribute but as an act of defiance. In a world increasingly tilting toward distraction and speed, the Field imposes moments of stillness. In a culture that easily seems to forget, the Field acts as a reminder. Every flag represents a refusal to forget.

The Field does not shout, but its quiet hum of reflection endures. By doing so, it resists the very forces that would have us move on too quickly and feel too little.

And forget.

Times may change, and our culture may evolve. But as long as the Field endures, there is an answer to this question: Will we still remember? The Field says yes, we will.