No tree has branches so foolish that they fight among themselves.

 

I am still under the weather with a virus and so have missed a few weeks of this blog, however I feel it’s important to post an ANZAC day tribute.  Regular Monday posts will start up again soon all going well.

This photo is from Tyne Cot cemetery in Ypres, Belgium which I visited with my family in January 2012.  There are countless graves of unknown soldiers, some of which were identified as ANZACS or other nationalities, and many of whom are “known only to God” which is what is written on their head stones.  One can only imagine how badly damaged a body might have been that they could not even tell which army the soldier belonged to let alone their name.

We toured other significant WW1 sites that day including some of the trenches and Hill 60.  It was freezing cold, windy and raining and this gave us a tiny glimpse into what the Australians fighting there may have endured many years ago.  But we were wearing high-tec thermals, snow jackets, and socks made specifically for  -30°c conditions; and when it got too cold we had a warm, comfy bed and local hospitality to retreat to.

I still cannot fathom what it would have been like for a young Australian, to be so far from home, in such inhospitable conditions notwithstanding the violence they witnessed and the terror and hopelessness they might have felt.

We may think the world has come a long way since then, and in many ways it has, however some people say we are currently living in the most violent time the world has ever seen.  This is a bit hard to digest given what we know about the two great wars that have preceded the current conflicts going on in the world.

This quote is a poignant reminder that war is unnecessary and stupid.  There are so many other ways to resolve our disputes, and they all have one thing in common. 
Love.

Lest we forget {

To all the Men and Women who suffered and gave your lives so that we may live in beauty, freedom and peace, words cannot express how grateful we are for your sacrifice.

If you’re interested in seeing Ypres, go ahead and do it!  Apart from war history the area is famous for it’s beer & chocolate; the local people are amazing and very welcoming to Aussies.  We stayed at Camalou and could not recommend it highly enough.  The owners are historians and will custom build a tour of the local, historical sites just for you.  http://www.camalou.com/

Photo Tyne Cot Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium. © Renee Chamberlin 2013. If you would like to purchase images, click here