08 May VE Day 75th Anniversary

“Remembering them all” !!  May 8 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.  As Europe commemorates the end of this horrendous conflict,  in which tens of millions of brave lives were lost and the course of history changed forever, the Veterans who live proudly on,  emotionally share with us their memories today. In the midst of Covid 19, where our futures for the moment remain unclear, people celebrate VE Day in the best way that they can in our current lock-down situation.  The Veterans talk proudly of their past, visualising their friends & the moment that they lost their lives at war;  their vivid memories, that normally lie tucked away  quietly within the dark shadows of their minds, live on as if it were only yesterday.  They do not dwell on the sadness of the past, but talk always about going forward.  The sadness that lies deeply hidden within them, they have accepted, saying “That was War Time and something we have to accept to move forward and to our enjoy life.  That was what we were all prepared to do,  give up our lives for our Country ” !                       ( https://www.facebook.com/World-War-II-veteransmemories-1378613069065523/ ).  There will be no VE Day Parade today in honour of the 75th Celebrations for the surviving Veterans to remember their comrades,  enabling them to proudly salute them and their heroic gesture of giving their lives for their Country, a heartfelt sadness for all of them that are still proudly living on today. Of course they will all do so, wherever they are, but it will not have that special feeling of togetherness, that only those that have served will know and feel.  I listened to a Veteran this morning by the name of Douglas and his words remain within my thoughts, he said “Life is how it is, accept it, deal with it and move forward. Be Yourself, be Happy and Help others” !  The VE Veterans never ever feel sorry for themselves, they take the strikes that life has to offer them, stand back up, shake themselves off and carry on with determination and a smile.  Nothing can compare to what they lived through. There was no facetime, whatsapp or skype for them or their loved ones !!!  I listened to Queen  Elizabeth II earlier today speaking about her experience as she wandered amongst the crowd with her Sister Princess Margaret during the celebrations, the jubilation of relief and deep heart felt happiness, hoping  desperately that they would not be recognised.  They wanted to be part of the crowd, to mingle amongst them, to feel the wild excitement, to feel what they felt and to see through the eyes of the celebrating public what they saw.  Her words gave me a little glimpse into how it must have been !                                         https://www.royal.uk/wartime-broadcast-1940                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Photo by:     https://martin-taburet.fr/