Remembrance

I just came back from a very private remembrance service.

Normally the community just meet up at the memorial. There is no need for a poster or big parade and usually about 24 people of a population of 10x that turn up. This time I was alone.
That's not to say there wasn't a service. One of the local churches (of which I'm not a member) has their Sunday service at the hall, and relocates it for just this Sunday to the memorial. This is the first Sunday that I've been here that hasn't happened - they stayed in the hall.

For me it isn't about religion, or glorification of war and sacrifice, just remembering those 39 young men that never came home during the two big conflicts of the last century.

I don't think standing out in the rain for 10 minutes once a year is much to ask.

I had two minutes silence, counting the seconds and listening to the wind, sung 'Taps', tried to remember 'the going down of the sun' (which is much less easy when you havn't got other people reciting the bits you can't remember).

Then as I always do I went up the steps to the memorial and recited their names. About 30 from the first world war and 9 from the second. That's more young men than there are live in the Glen these days. I just think about what they came from and where they went and weep.

I think especially at the moment it's important to remember what can happen, and I'm grateful that my generation have not had to live through something like that......yet.