Thursday, November 10, 2005

Remembrance Day

Tonight before remembrance Day were watching a TV series Band of Brothers It's about the Battle of Normady which took place during the second world war. Watching this tv series I'm stunned at how intense and inhuman the battles become. At one point you see a platoon kill the unexpected enemy. It's really sad because the ambush becomes more than just to cover their secret location they gain vengeance in their eyes. You can see how the men in the environment turn into something else just to say alive.
Lately I've seen some old men at the grocery store ringing their bells and collecting some change for Remembrance Day. I saw this one particular old guy who had all these medals and I just wondered for a second what he went through to be sitting there.
In my own family my Mothers Mother has horrendous stories of growing up as a child and living many of her adult years in war ridden Germany. I think the one that hurts to hear the most is of her family being dragged in the middle of the night from her house when she was 5 years old. The soldiers took her father and she never saw him again. Obviously I only knew my Oma as an old lady in her eighties but even though she went through so much she still maintained the most positive attitude and was the kindest woman on earth. She would give you anything she had and her faith was remarkable. I've never met anyone since who I think feels God's presence the way she did. When I was babysat in her tiny apartment as a child she would spend hours in her room praying, chanting, speaking in tongues, at the time I didn't understand because I was too young.
Maybe by today's standards you might wonder if she was a bit crazy, but for having to endure the many horrors of the communist government I think her faith actually helped her to hold onto her sanity and not become a frightened scared bitter person. My Mom has told us kids many times of different stories were my Oma prayed and God brought her through to safety. You might wonder if it was luck but regardless I think that because her faith was so strong he granted her a sense of peace and happiness.
So when I think of Remberance Day it's sort of religious for me and I'm reminded of the example of leading a selfless life and the peace and happiness it can bring.

1 comment:

Lisa's Diet said...

I didn't mean to be to sappy but sometimes it just happens.