They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. -from For the Fallen, by Laurence Binyon In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. -In Flanders Fields, by John McCrae This thread is to the memory of all who have died in wars, from all countries, all around the world, on Remembrance Day. On this day, 92 years ago, at 11am the armistice was signed that ended a chapter of human history in which 37million had died. This thread is not endorsing or glorifying war. It is only about remembering those who gave their lives. Please feel free to leave messages of remembrance as you please.
I don't think we can thank enough the people who gave their lives for us. But we shall never forget what they've done for us. We shall indeed remember them.
I am heartened to know that it matters to young people today that we have served and that our service is appreciated and recognized. I know it is not always easy to sit with the decisions that get made by our governments, but the young men and women in uniform are not the government. They are sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, husbands and wives. They may have joined out of a sense of patriotism or because donning the uniform was the way out of a bad neighborhood. Either reason is noble. I thank you in return for your thoughts.
"How sweet and fitting it is to die for one's country: Death pursues the man who flees, spares not the hamstrings or cowardly backs Of battle-shy youths." Horace If in some smothering dreams you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud12 Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, My friend, you would not tell with such high zest13 To children ardent14 for some desperate glory, The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.15 - Wilfred Owen. Took the kids down to the Abbey here to see the fallen airmens graves.
A salute to veterans on this day and really it should be all days. When I read stories about returning veterans with amputated limbs, and grave cases of PTSD, it is somber dose of reality that as long as one has health and home, we should not complain. I do not support war or violence, but much respect is due to people who have or will place their lives in danger, and of course to those that did not return. End war now.
I'm a little late here, but I'd like to post all the same. "If we cannot do him honor, While he's here to hear the praise, then at least let's give him homage, at the ending of his days. Perhaps just a simple headline, in the paper that might say: "OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY." From "Just a Simple Soldier" Regardless of the day we should all remember and honor our veterans and soldiers because they lived, fought, and died for the our countries and all of us. Thank you.
