Sunday, November 08, 2009
Remembrance Sunday
Not much of a day!
I was feeling fragile in the wee small hours, and when Bill stirred at 6 o'clock and reported that it was raining I was happy to stay in bed.
So, that is 2 Sundays running that we have not been anywhere.
The weather did improve later, but not my spirits.
I have a box of things ready to take to Pilgrims Antiques.
And as I was brushing teeth this morning I saw in my head a picture of a rearranged area in the shop.
Maybe I'll make a start tomorrow.
Bill has lots to do tomorrow too.
We might even have to go back on Tuesday.
This weekend is one for remembering.
I actually don't have anybody to remember - at least not those killed on active service.
Both Bill and I have great uncles killed during WW1 and we have created some stories of them - easier in the case of my great uncle Harry because we have photographs, medals and the letter from the padre home to report his death.
Bill's cousin was killed during the retreat from Dunkirk during the second world war. It was his sister Daphne's funeral that we attended recently.
We thankfully didn't lose parents or grandparents and all our uncles returned home at the end of WW2.
They had their memories of course - some quite ghastly and some others of comradeship and loyalty of one man to another which would have been inspiring.
None ever really told of their war - not to us of the younger generation anyway.
I feel kind of sad that I grew up without the tradition of Remembrance Sunday.
My parents had quite naturally an abhorrence of war.
I sensed also that they worried about Remembrance Day being some sort of glorification of war itself.
I dutifully adopted the same point of view - after all I had/have pacifist leanings of my own.
But lately I have understood that it is not war that is being honoured at this time, but people.
Men, from all walks of life felt obliged to "do their bit" for the world wars and signed up mostly before being conscripted anyway.
Nowadays people join the forces as a career. Perhaps some young people saw it as no more than that - unaware of the life they might be leading in a war zone.
But those that have joined up face their duty with an evenhanded spirit which does not seem to condemn others too much.
They leave that to the politicians.
And it seems that the majority of the people in this country are not happy with the decisions of politicians.
I always react to a politician pleading that we must stay in Afghanistan until the job is complete with "How do we know when the job is complete? Will it ever be complete?"
Who will the Taliban kill if we are not there?
I gather the initial terror suspects Al Quaeda are not now in Afghanistan anyway.
They are somewhere - no doubt Pakistan.
The majority of people in the UK are also questioning in this way.
Is there an answer? I don't know.
But I do know that Remembrance Day moves me now.
I was feeling fragile in the wee small hours, and when Bill stirred at 6 o'clock and reported that it was raining I was happy to stay in bed.
So, that is 2 Sundays running that we have not been anywhere.
The weather did improve later, but not my spirits.
I have a box of things ready to take to Pilgrims Antiques.
And as I was brushing teeth this morning I saw in my head a picture of a rearranged area in the shop.
Maybe I'll make a start tomorrow.
Bill has lots to do tomorrow too.
We might even have to go back on Tuesday.
This weekend is one for remembering.
I actually don't have anybody to remember - at least not those killed on active service.
Both Bill and I have great uncles killed during WW1 and we have created some stories of them - easier in the case of my great uncle Harry because we have photographs, medals and the letter from the padre home to report his death.
Bill's cousin was killed during the retreat from Dunkirk during the second world war. It was his sister Daphne's funeral that we attended recently.
We thankfully didn't lose parents or grandparents and all our uncles returned home at the end of WW2.
They had their memories of course - some quite ghastly and some others of comradeship and loyalty of one man to another which would have been inspiring.
None ever really told of their war - not to us of the younger generation anyway.
I feel kind of sad that I grew up without the tradition of Remembrance Sunday.
My parents had quite naturally an abhorrence of war.
I sensed also that they worried about Remembrance Day being some sort of glorification of war itself.
I dutifully adopted the same point of view - after all I had/have pacifist leanings of my own.
But lately I have understood that it is not war that is being honoured at this time, but people.
Men, from all walks of life felt obliged to "do their bit" for the world wars and signed up mostly before being conscripted anyway.
Nowadays people join the forces as a career. Perhaps some young people saw it as no more than that - unaware of the life they might be leading in a war zone.
But those that have joined up face their duty with an evenhanded spirit which does not seem to condemn others too much.
They leave that to the politicians.
And it seems that the majority of the people in this country are not happy with the decisions of politicians.
I always react to a politician pleading that we must stay in Afghanistan until the job is complete with "How do we know when the job is complete? Will it ever be complete?"
Who will the Taliban kill if we are not there?
I gather the initial terror suspects Al Quaeda are not now in Afghanistan anyway.
They are somewhere - no doubt Pakistan.
The majority of people in the UK are also questioning in this way.
Is there an answer? I don't know.
But I do know that Remembrance Day moves me now.
