It is now ninety-nine years since the end of World War One - but the echoes of lives lost, bodies injured, families torn apart still impact our lives today - as so they should ...
I
am going to quote from words written by Emily Hobhouse in 1923 pointing out the
futility of war ... which I think are more pertinent today ... as we do not
seem to have progressed very far ...
‘It is astonishing that though so long a list of the world’s
greatest thinkers in all periods have pronounced against war, yet (to this
time) no statesmen has appeared capable of abolishing it as a means of settling
disputes …
Great therefore will be the statesman who takes his stand on
Permanent Peace … He will teach the world that Peace is not a mere absence of
war; that it is not a passive ‘do nothing’ existence … but rather an agreement
to join together in work of mutual interests …
In a word he will substitute Co-operation in place of
Competition …’
‘Histories should be re-written showing how mistaken statesmen
have invariably been in leading their countrymen into war, and how little is
gained and at what enormous cost.
The attention of youth should be fixed on the really great men
of history – thinkers, poets, discoverers, scientists etc, who have laboured to
advance civilization, not destroy …’
‘Only in South Africa is there a monument to the civilian
dead, often the main sufferers in war.’
Emily Hobhouse 1923
(Permission granted to reproduce these
words by Jennifer Hobhouse Balme – May 2016)
In our difficult present times … we need to
… remember others
… encourage our leaders to co-operate
… bring peace
… let us all live together in an harmonious world – global,
region, country, area, town and parish – everyone supporting and encouraging
each other … sharing and giving joy to the world.
May
we be and remain at peace this Remembrance Day weekend … with all our fellow
humans …
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
57 comments:
It was supposed to be the war to end all wars. If only...
A truly lovely post, and one which (conservatively speaking) I agree in the order of 10000 per cent.
I think, perhaps, rather than progressing, we may have regressed. The quote is excellent.
We are just off to a service now. Nigel has many uncles that need remembering and I have a few. France will never forget. Enjoy the weekend Diane
Give peace a chance. Headed to a ceremony of remembrance this morning.
I want to thank all the Veterans out there - THANK YOU for your service!
And yes - peace and harmony - we are all not that different.
Hilary: This is so true and so appropriate for us to study at this time in the history of the world. Thank you so much for sharing.
Excellent post. I think I knew about Remembrance Day but sure didn't remember it was today. Now I will.
Powerful sentiments, Hilary. However co-operation is a hard path to travel because it needs commitment from both sides in order to succeed, whereas belligerence need only be a unilateral choice.
Emily Hobhouse should be quoted everywhere. It's as if she were talking to us all today. A moving post, Hillary. The sad truth is that in South Africa, civilians are still dying by violence in unacceptable numbers and there isn't even a war going on. I only wish the memorial there would remind people more!
@ Liz – yes it was supposed to be the War that was the end of all wars … something’s gone wrong somewhere –but let’s hope we can stay on an even keel …
@ EC – thanks so much … Emily’s great niece will be so pleased to hear it …
@ Rhonda – it certainly does feel like it at the moment, doesn’t it. I’m glad you enjoyed Emily’s words …
@ Diane – I was busy today – so tomorrow I will remember and remember the times I sat with my mother watching the Cenotaph service. I don’t think we will forget … and it’s good to know France does too …
@ Steve – it’d be great if Peace could overcome all … that’s lovely to read you were off to a ceremony …
@ Sandie – yes all Servicemen and women should be remembered … and having peace and harmony would be wonderful.
@ Karen – that’s great … I’m glad Emily’s words resonate so well for you …
@ Cecilia – I’m glad you appreciate Emily’s sentiment as set out here …
@ Jacqui – yes Remembrance Day is the official day the War ended … the end of World War One …
@ Ian – they are powerful sentiments – she was one strong lady. You’re right though …co-operation is a hard path – sadly so many die in the process …
@ Val – you’re so right – having your South African connections – her words are powerful still, aren’t they …
Sadly – I know South Africa is in a muddle – and I do hope it and we can find leaders to take us out/ lead us towards a kinder and better world …
Thanks so so much everyone for coming by … let’s believe that peace will come to the fore – but in the meantime we will remember all who have gone, and all who served - Hilary
No World War I veterans left. I wonder when we will lose our last veteran of World War II. Those who remain are old men.
Love,
Janie
Sandra Cox - has left this comment on the previous post ... but it belongs here:
"What a moving post. Thank you. Emily's words should be read from podiums across the world on a regular basis."
Posted by Sandra Cox ...
oh so true. Men talk of peace, yet so much of business is war. Can war be abolished? We can only hope. Excellent post for all corners of this world.
With our own countries so divided, so divided you can't even talk about politics or news with your neighbors, I wonder how there can ever be peace in the world. These are scary times.
If only, Hilary, if only.....
Amen to that.
Emily's moving message needs to be internalised by politicians the world over asap! Shame that the current crop are unlikely to do so.
Great words by Emily Hobhouse. People's egos and greed are what cause war and I don't know how those can be overcome. Have a lovely week Hilary. x
That quote is so powerful - we really should have progressed a lot further by now.
@ Janie – sadly you’re right … nearly all World War servicemen and women have reached the end of their full generous lives …
@ Sandra – Emily’s words do ring so true today … and certainly must be taken seriously …
@ Joanne – sadly you’re right … we talk (mostly men) of war – yet so much business is War … Emily’s words do reach to all corners of the world …
@ Inger – it’s terrible here too … there seems to be no concept of being tactful, polite and looking at the other side of the choices. We really need to lead, think and put forward other ideas and encourage everyone to think beyond the ‘now’ … we are in scary times …
@ Anabel – yes if only …
@ Nila – Emily was prescient in her thoughts; we do need to find leaders who can take us out of today’s morass …
@ Kim – Emily was an amazing advocate for peace and being thoughtful of consequences before we speak or act …
@ Annalisa – shouldn’t we have progressed further … I had hope after the Millennium … greed and selfishness seem to have set in …
With thoughts everyone on this Remembrance Sunday here in the UK … cheers Hilary
All the while that there are huge profits to be made from the sale of weapons of war and also from wars by those who participate from in
them in the safety of their political offices, there will be no Peace.
I hope we can get to the 100th anniversary before the start of WW3.
Well said Hilary. I think I may have previously Blogged about the songs of Eric Bogle (can't be arsed to check). Two of his best are:
The Band Played Waltzing Matilda Sung here acapella by the great English folk-singer June Tabor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAl0FRjEzCA and also
No Man's Land by the man himself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1VD84SLW8I. I dare you not to shed a tear!
June Tabor also does a magnificent version of that as well.
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s diverging from the standard Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Moving and powerful words, peace and harmony to all. Blessings to you for posting this Hilary.
So many wars have taken place since the great war, which was suppose to be the war to end all wars but hasn't been somewhere someone is fighting with some one else.
Here here!
The conflicts around the world are so senseless and yet there seems no way for them to settled. The civilians who suffer so much often have no say or control of their country's policies. Humanity never seems to learn from history.
@ Mel - sadly yes profit is made, through various levels selling those killing items ... peace will be difficult to find - but we need to be positive and believe it will happen ...
@ Patsy - such a terrible thought ...
@ Bazza - thank you ... Emily's words are true today. Good to be pointed in the direction of Eric Bogle - some else I didn't know from the music industry ...
@ Suzanne - thank you ... some one recently described Emily as one strong lady - she was forthright and thoughtful ...
@ Jo-Anne - war never seems to stop does it ... and yes the Great War was the war that was supposed to end all wars ...
@ Deb - thank you ...
@ Susan - leaders just can't seem to accept the fact and come to some agreement together - that we're all better off, if they don't fight and settle their differences. As you say - we don't learn do we ...
Let's hope peace can come in some form and welcome it in to our lives ... we seem to be in a complaint mode over so many things ... all the best - Hilary
And yet we the Americans are engaged at the present time in at least a half a dozen wars and have troops in almost one hundred countries. Well at least one President tried unsuccessfully to end this madness. Only thin hopes remain...:(
We are all so much in need of peace and love today.
Greetings from London.
Wise and sobering words from you and Emily. Grateful for those who've made sacrifices for us all. Thanks for sharing, Hilary. :)
Beautiful and wise words. Hoping and wishing for peace daily. We all need more love, peace and kindness in our lives.
Hugs!
~Jess
@ Troutbirder - gosh I hadn't realised it was so many ... and so so many servicemen and women. I too sincerely hope the present trend of war will be reversed everywhere ..
@ ACIL - you are so so right - we are in great need of peace and love today ...
@ Karen - thank you so much ... Emily's words do ring so true ...
@ Jess - it's good that we can reflect and remember to encourage peace, love and kindness in our daily lives ...
Thank you - it's not easy at all for so many at the moment - Hilary
Such rituals as Remembrance Day keep reminding us of fundamental truths.
Powerful words of wisdom! Hugs...RO
We just observed Veteran's Day here, and you are right. We must remember their service and thank them, not just one one special day, but always. I must say, I don't think we should rewrite history. I agree that we should always learn from our mistakes, but history is done and can't be undone. We are dealing with certain groups here in the U.S. that want to tear down monuments because they represent things some people would like to forget ever happened, or that it would offend someone. Whatever we have done it is our history and we should own it, and learn from it in order not to repeat it.
I read on Bit of Britain that you have over 100,000 memorials to your fallen soldiers. That made me wonder how many we have in the U.S. I'll have to check.
I wish that when we pause to pay tribute to the men and women who died fighting wars, we'd come up with how to live in peace. How wonderful to have few memorials go up.
Lovely post, Hilary. Let's not give up our quest for a harmonious world.
@ Jenny - these Remembrance Services are still essential to remind us each year and bring the details back to our attention ...
@ RO - they are such wise words aren't they ...
@ Linda - yes, thank you ... it is each and every day we must be grateful to all who have over the years looked after our freedom and the ability to be reasonable. You point out things that are happening now - sad that it's all done so 'roughly' ...
@ Lee - yes I saw Mike's note about 100,000 memorials and we are adding to them - still feeling that we need to remember all those involved.
in each and every war.
I agree - if only we could live in peace and get on with each and every other man or woman ...
Thanks so much to you all - we remember and will remind others ... so that we are moving towards a harmonious world ... - peace to us all - Hilary
It's important that the future generation are cognisant of the reasoning of why our countries went to war and the downside of being the pawn who is sent in to secure a location. In some instances such as these world wars, I think the result would have been catastrophic if we had not had the men who lay down their lives for the people and the principles they loved. War is ugly, but it can also be heroic.
A harmonious world sounds great but when many leading their countries are jockeying for the position of top dog it seems far-fetched that we will ever reach harmony. I've had relatives in the first and second world wars and many were scarred for life in mind and body. This is a thoughtful post, Hilary.
With so many of my family in the military (retired and active duty), I have so much respect for the military and our fallen heroes here and abroad.
Elsie
It would be nice to have peace throughout the world, but I'm afraid that's something that won't ever happen.
I believe in peace, and I hope that the sacrifices of those who died a century ago will not have been in vain:)
99 years...a long time ago but still relevant and crucial to our lives and history. So true.
@ DG, Elsie, Sherry, Mark, and Chrys - thanks for visiting and commenting - my internet is down ......
And I am moving ... with a huge change ... more once I'm settled again. Thank you - Hilary
A beautiful post. We shall never forget. I always wear my poppy.
I've been watching the Ken Burns Viet Nam documentary series lately and have been reminded about how much those vets went through. I managed to escape going to Nam even though I came of age at the peak of it. That war and so many are others have been such waste--the folly of politicians and opportunists.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Such a beautiful post . . . Sadly, the wars have not yet been ended . . .+
Poppies are such a beautiful remembrance, aren't they?
Hope you have a weekend filled with sunshine and joy.
You would think that this would have ended wars for good...yet it was not the case. Its sad.
I would like to think that one day we will all live together in a harmonious world. In the meantime, all we can do is hope and do our bit whenever and wherever we can.
Click to read my short story
A beautiful post Hilary, but so sad when we think of how war continues to ruin lives all around the world. I keep hoping that peace will rule one day.
I couldn't agree more with Emily Hobhouse's words. love, understanding acceptance and tolerance are in such short supply. We are none of us perfect though, I admit. x
We all long for peace, yet regrettably as a race we never seem to learn from the trajedies of war from yesteryear. Perhaps eventually we will progress to a non war race but we are miles and miles away from that state now I think.
Perhaps the second coming is the answer . . :)
Such apt words Hilary, as these commemorations of war take place.
Great words Hilary and so true too.
@ Christine, Lee, Denise, Sandra, Romance Reader, Keith, Pamela, Madeleine, Eddie, Juliet and Nas - many thanks for commenting ... having just moved continents ... life is a little discombobulated ... but so appreciate your visits ... cheers Hilary
Thanks Sandra - you commented:
What a moving post. Thank you.
Emily's words should be read from podiums across the world on a regular basis.
So I wanted to reply here - her words are so pertinent aren't they ... I'm glad you appreciated reading them ... all the best - Hilary
Post a Comment