MUSINGS OF THE YOUNG.

MUSINGS OF THE YOUNG.

So tonight I am preparing to celebrate my son’s 9th birthday tomorrow. I remember this time 9 years ago, I was hooked up to an epidural watching the heart monitor with both fear and fascination. Then, almost 20 hours later, out popped my beautiful boy, sneezing his way into our lives ( he did not cry when he was born – he sneezed – three times ), and making everything seem shinier somehow !!

My son is growing into a lovely young boy, with a wicked sense of humour, a charming ‘cheek’ to him that means he can infuriate you and make you giggle with one quip, and a huge set of chocolate-brown ‘Disney’ eyes that will mean I’ll be facing all sorts of trouble once he reaches his teen years. He has his moments, don’t get me wrong, he has both my husband and my own sense and need for trouble, but all in all he is a good lad.

Tonight I picked him up from his Cubs meeting, and had one of those proud moments which I just needed to share with you. The group had been working on and discussing remembrance, and were asked to spend some time writing a response, discussing feelings and experiences associated with remembrance. At the end of the meeting, all the parents were gathered waiting for the meeting to end when the leader read out a piece that one of the group had written. This turned out to be written by my son. I thought that it was both moving and well written, finished off with the innocent optimism of youth! I was so very proud!

So tonight I am handing over the writing baton to my son and am sharing with you his response to remembrance. Exactly how he wrote it – with no corrections made on spelling, grammar, anything ! Just his raw thoughts and writings.

Remembrance Day – by ‘master Langdon’

‘As I ran into the battlefield shots fired around me, six men instantly fell dead. behind me my fellow comrads loaded there rifels and ran as fast as they could 3 more lives were taken by 6 pound balls of lead. Suddenly something knoked me of my feet. I felt my chest it was soaked with blood I tried to call for help but I could not find the strenth to do so. My vision had started to blur and the saliva had drained from my mouth. I could now see the faint glimpse of the sun slowly disappearing from my view I knew I was going to die sooner or later. Then I saw the familiar faces of the friendly paramedics who rushed me into a ambulance then I passed out and I knew it had happened. I thought I would never wake up again but as usual I was wrong because the next day I and saw the faces of my wife and 2 children smiling at me. I could never have felt better…… ‘

Whilst this short piece has a relatively happy ending, my son and his cub group discussed the reasons why we must always remember the ones that did not have the happy ending. The sad stories from our past and present. The stories of people who fought and are still fighting so we can remain free.

So this week buy your poppy and wear it with pride to remember the fallen and pray that soon there will be a happy ending.

Lest we forget.