Today I found myself in a minority on two counts.
I paused for two minutes in quiet reflection at 11.00 on 11/11/2006 when I realised that the world was carrying on as normal. The memory thudded home that not since I was a child had everyone paused ( even the buses pulled up in those days) to observe the silence to allow contemplation of the horrors of war.
I also noticed that I was one of the few not wearing a poppy - a concious decision on my part as I have not worn a poppy since Blair represented this country at the Cenotaph and will not do so until he and his kind (of any party) are consigned to the dustbin of history (it'll be a long wait, I imagine). Don't get me wrong - I contribute to the Haig Fund every year if only on the basis that if I can spend �12 plus on a good wine then the same amount of money is okay in the box whether I wear the poppy or not ( but it does go deeper than that). And ....... I remember.
Tomorrow, give a little thought at 11.00 no matter what you are doing - two minutes can seem a lifetime ....... for some it was two seconds and that was their lifetime.
And not just for the service people who died - for the civilians too. In any war scenario they are a casualty list for no reason other than they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Any contempt should be for the politicians of any creed as no military person ever started a war .... they only finish it. There is no such thing as "courageous politicians", they only trade in the courage of others. And the terror of innocents.
If you haven't put a few shillings in the collecting tin, may I ask you to do so. It will help someone, somewhere.
Thank you for reading this - and regardless of your beliefs, a few pence will help some poor sod somewhere who has a worse time of it than us!
Tomorrow, if you see the Cenotaph ceremony on t.v. or listen to it on the radio, just listen to the Last Post from the R.M. Buglers - and after the overwhelming sensation of sadness just remember to ask yourself - "Why" ?
The war of 1914-1918 was supposed to be "the war to end all wars" - where did humanity go wrong ! Put some money in the boxes, people - and be thankful that someone else does the dirty work and pays the price.