As I stand here gazing at the calm waves, I think about my grandmother, Maude. A lovely woman who was a nurse during the second World War. She was twenty-three at the time. I can still remember the sadness in her eyes when she spoke of the young soldiers who died. There was one particular soldier whom she would never forget. Every time she talked about him, her voice broke and tears sprang to her eyes.
“I will never forget that boy,” she said. “He must have been about seventeen years old. He had a boyish face. I thought to myself, it’s a pity that someone so young was fighting in this terrible war.
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Very good share Sue. A timely reminder to us all of the contagion of war
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It is never a good answer…
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Not a lesson we ever seem to learn.
Here’s a very salutary link on the subject:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-48528841#
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An excellent article, but a harrowing read.
I always feel guilty about saying I suffered PTSD after my son was stabbed through the brain. Compared to those who have witnessed the horrors of war, I feel I have no right to that diagnosis. But the symptoms are the same… the nightmares, the flashbacks…the terror. Thankfully, mine was brought under control through prompt recognition and talking it through… though it does not leave completely and stress, which is a constant in a carer’s life, leaves you with a hair trigger.
But having been through that, I can now recognise some of the things that were odd in my grandfathers… especially the one who served in Burma. The article speaks of how these things affect subsequent generations… and I can say with certainty that it is true, from having seen how it affected my mother and her brother.
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Personally Sue I feel you showed remarkable courage in having to come with such an event.
Events and their aftermaths can leave deep wounds and although there is treatment, as you say, they still never truly go away.
The battles go on.
We do the best we can, as we can.
And we try and not let the contagion spread.
Best wishes to you and your son.
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I don’t think putting one foot in front of the other counts as courage… there is little choice when events push you forward. But thank you.
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Putting one foot in front of the other in adversity and pain is true courage Sue.
Many give up and don’t take those steps.
Best wishes to both of you.
Roger
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Thank you, Roger.
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So poignant. A powerful read from Adele ❤
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❤
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