Today has been Armistice Day.
And one of the most compelling sights for me was seeing Nicholas Sarkosy and Angela Merckle standing side by side in Paris observing the minutes silence at 11am this morning.
Who would have thought that would happen 91 years ago today.
It gives hope in a world that surely needs it.
To be able to call two German women my friends is not only a privilege because of who they are. But perhaps more importantly gives me a sense of pride that we are making good the agony and pain are Grandfathers and Fathers went through, so we can stand side by side the English and the German and say never again can the War to End All Wars or the brutality of WWII ever be allowed between us again.
And to know that it is today's modern world that has allowed this contact and subsequent friendship, as I know both Geli and Paula initially through the medium of blogging.
Gives me hope that as our world shrinks with ever easier communication that we can hold out the olive branch where it is needed. We will do it the people here, as we post and comment to others around the world and we dissipate fear in our finding out about other peoples and nationalities.
I may have been too busy recently to email all my world wide friends, but I haven't stopped caring for them. So whilst I do that, and others do that, and slowly we all do that with the people we met here, we will affect what goes on in this one small world. And bit by bit ignorance and fear,intolerance of our fellow human will change.
It has to, we only have this small world to live on together
13 comments:
Love that last phrase. Amen.
how well said, fire byrd. and how true: we reach across our countries with love, respect, creative force and vision. brick by brick, comment by comment!
i hope you are now happily back blogging and enjoying your visits and visitors.
i cherish my blog friends, of which you are among, and i am forever grateful for the bonds and laughs.
xoxo
kj
I do like the way your mind works.
This makes me have tears, you make me feel so lucky.
Big love to you my dear friend. What a beautiful post.
Yes Mandy, you and I have become friends over the old memories of sadness and loss and tears of our forefathers and -mothers. You held no grudges but happily "dared" to visit me in my home, and didn`t we have a blast (never mind my American slang, I don`t mind your English one - loved that "fag" story). Yes, our blogging and reaching out to "strangers" has certainly already DONE something great to this one world of ours. I love to be part of it!
I knew there was a special reason to log on today! I am so glad for what we shared small and big in this short time of getting to know one another.Thanks for being who you are. Like Geli said no grudges from your side and thanks to blogging we have a community of gratitude and develop understanding. We are our responsibility on this plante of ours. Love
A vitally important point, Mandy. It was very moving, watching Sarkozy and Merkel celebrate their respective countries' freedoms and friendship in Berlin on 9 November, then Paris on 11 November. We all need to keep building on this.
And bit by bit ignorance and fear,intolerance of our fellow human will change.
It has to, we only have this small world to live on together
AMEN!
(((((((((( the byrdie ))))))))))))
You're so very loved....you just are.
I live in hope too, that as we shrink as a world of differences, and expand in global consciousness, we will indeed spend more time talking rather than fighting. It just worries me that humankind seems to forget the lessons of the past all too easily.
Hope you got my email re the trip cancellation...? *sob*
xxx
yes well said, i have many German friends too and i do feel that individual friendships can help build international understanding on a larger scale.
Thanks for visiting my blog...
*thinking of you*
(((((( the byrdie ))))))))
Sherrlyn of http://www.lovesimplyhappens.blogspot.com says...Beautiful! First time on your blog and happy to have found it.
Hello Firebyrd,
As the world shrinks, your sentiments become so much more important...After reading the post before this, about the diagnosis, you realise what is important are the people we connect with.
I am glad you are well and here today.
Post a Comment