Today is ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) Day, the day in New Zealand that we commemorate the soldiers that died in wars fought in lands far off our shores.
My Dad fought in the Middle east and around the Mediterranean area in World War 2, his brother was also in the Army and went to the Pacific Islands. Both of my Mother's brothers were also in the Islands. In the First World War my Great Uncles fought in France, one is buried there.
My last two posts have been about mothering and I often think how strong my Grandmothers must have been to see their sons off to war.
An event here several years ago gave me just a glimpse of my Grandmothers feelings......
When our oldest son was in his last year at school he and his friends were very excited to be going off to the school ball. They hired their suits, arranged their dates, and the whole experience was planned down to the last detail.
The big night arrived and they assembled at our house for pre ball celebrations and
a photo session.
The young men stood there for the photo, lined up, at attention, all wearing their dark suits. I saw my son in the line, looking very much like my Father did at the same age and I could hardly take the photo for the tears in my eyes.
For a moment I imagined my Grandmother, 55 years earlier, viewing my Father and his friends at much the same age, but - he and his friends weren't in suits going to the school ball, they were in their brand new Army uniforms, and were off to war.
I mentioned my thoughts to the mother of one of the other boys there, and we both gave thanks that our sons, God willing, may never have to go to war.
Lest we forget
2 comments:
Now I'm a mother I totally relate to how you feel abut going off to war - even going off for a weeks snowboarding tugs at the heartstrings!
I know my parents felt emotional when I went off to join the navy at 17. I wasn't going to war (although The Falklands War started only a few months afterwards).
Nice to be able to read your posts again. I'm now in a hotel with free internet so life's brightened.
Tismee - I have been reading your travel blog with interest. you must be missing Jordan though!
Poetikat - thank you for stopping by! I am not sure how I found your blog - just was 'cruisin' I think.
Yes our cat situation is - at times - dire. At other times they have reached an uneasy truce and seem to concentrate on avoiding each other.
Melvin won't go near the neighbours, he sticks very close to home so it could be a little hard to resettle him. Strangely enough since I wrote that blog entry there has not been any major incidents.
Roxi was a name our daughter chose - after a brand of surfing clothes, Jonty is named after a South African cricketer called Jonty Rhodes, and Melvin is named after a Sri Lankan friend of our sons.
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