Funny how we sometimes wake up with a feeling of melancholy, and we wonder what it’s all about?
Are we missing or youth? Are we afraid to grow old?
Why the hell not just be happy with what we have and live life to the fullest. Hell maybe it’s just the overcast and grey weather making us depro! One of the biggest reasons I would never be able to live in the Northern hemisphere, would die from lack of blue sky. Strange that isn’t it? Something grey will make you blue and something blue will make you happy!
Anyway just read Vi’s blogg. Seems to me she really is living the life at the moment. Good for her! Could have been my life around 12 years ago! So I guess the envy aspect shouldn’t come into it as this old dog too has had it’s day!
So Anzac day number two for me in my adopted country. It’s great to see how seriously its all taken over here. My neighbour was up at sparrow fart to get him and the family to the dawn service. Many folk I know out here watched parade of sorts today. Those that have gone before us remembered today. Great!
“The Last Post” when played on a bugle will always tug my heart strings. I remember when I too wore Uniform and stood on Parade to remember those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice. Funny thing is that now days in my old country not many give a rats arse about it. To most the days to remember are those that supported their cause. Freedom Day, Soweto Day, Chris Harney Day. All those deceased “freedom fighters” remembered and celebrated. Fuck those whiteys who died fighting some long forgotten war in foreign lands. They were all a bunch of apartheid supporting racist bigots anyway. Well that’s what the “Mass” will tell you in the old country today. The “Mass” being just that. The Mass of Historically deprived people who now have the freedom they always wanted. The freedom to vote, the freedom to live in a democratic country. The freedom to live where they want, to take what they want, the freedom to do what they want. After all it’s their “right”. Their right to take, not earn, whatever they want. Their “right” to chose to celebrate what ever holidays or heros they want to. Their “right” to forget all about those that came before them.
After all what did some war in the middle of Europe, fought in mud filled trenches or freezing cold country side have to do with them. How were they affected by people running around the jungles of Korea or Vietnam? The average person doesn’t even care about so called “white” history.
That said I remember an old Black African man who used to work as a doorman in a Hotel own by a family I once knew. Once a year, on the 11th day of the 11th Month he would proudly take out his old Uniform, polish up his medals and display them with Pride. Proudly remembering the part he played in a War looong forgotten in Africa. 1000’s of South African men and woman took part in the World Wars and Korea. Many more died during our other wars, The Anglo Boer War, the Border War( this is the one I served in).
Around the world people remember them, “Least We Forget”. In my Old Homeland, some may still Remember Them, but the majority just don’t give a shit!
Anzac Day will be taught to my kids as special day. A Day to remember, not only because I now have the honour to live in a beautiful country, free from the burdens of the past, but also as a place where we can remember with pride those that served and paid the Ultimate price.
