March took us back to Paris this year. One of the trips on our list was to visit Normandy. We were scheduled to go last year, but our trip got canceled, so we booked it again for this year. At the time, we didn’t know that this would be the 80th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy. I didn’t find that out until this morning while watching the news. I was glued to the television, and when I listened to the President's speech, it took me right back to Normandy three months ago. President Biden gave a beautiful speech about how those who died on the beach that day saved us, France, and probably the rest of the world. Brave and strong young men who fought for our freedom, the freedom of France, and our future. My future and hopefully my grandson’s future. Although, I have fears about that. I also remember how it felt to be there amongst those perfectly lined white stones. There are not many places we travel to that take our breath away…but the gravity of those stones and the meaning behind them did. Jim and I walked along, each in our own space with our thoughts. It was not a place for a casual chat. That would come later. The graves above are in a section for the unknown soldiers—plain white marble stones—so many of them. It was heartbreaking. Young boys, heroes, all of them.
This section had stones with the soldier's names, ranks, and where they were from. They could not be sent home, so they rest here in France. Some, again, were unknown, and words on their stones read: “Here rests in honored Glory a comrade in arms known only to God”. Even today, as I write this post, it brings tears to my eyes. Gone but never forgotten. They rest here.
Another section holds the remains of known soldiers; their names, rank, and hometown are also on these stones…I remember choosing this shot because I was overwhelmed by the care and attention that the people of France took with our boys. They even recognized the soldiers’ religion and honored them with their own special monument to designate their religious preference..
After I left the green grass that our soldiers rest on now…their pillow for eternity in a foreign country…I went into the museum that held the flags of both France and the United States, bound together through a common thread to keep democracy alive by honoring all the men who fought so bravely in this Second World War.
On the wall around the room were quotes to honor their service…benches for sitting and quiet time. Reflections of how it must have been and angles and clouds on the ceiling to bring comfort to all who enter here.
Finally, the beach. They no longer allow you to walk on Normandy Beach, but you can walk a bit, find an opening, and view the beach. Long, lonely, and calm on this day. The sky changes from sun to clouds and back again. A crisp breeze was blowing. But not on June 6, 1944. Some say it is a miracle that we even won this war. There are so many fast-moving pieces, and anything could have gone wrong. Perhaps the stars lined up for the boys, knowing that this might be their last chance to keep democracy alive, and they fought their best to make it happen. Some never come home, but keep the path to peace open for the rest of us all these eighty years later. The question is, can we now hold the democracy that they fought for? They fought it for us; who and what will we fight to keep it for?
Why is it so important to me? Well, my dad was in World War 2. He was 21 years old—a mere child. I don’t know where he was stationed then because, like most veterans, he never talked much about his military service. It is something that I have been working on for a while now. I started researching his military service a few years back but then let it slip. He was a career soldier, first joining the Navy for two years and then moving to the Army for the rest of his time. He also served in the Korean War. So, in some ways, going to Normandy reminded me of how brave he was …even if he didn’t land on that beach. Every soldier was in danger in 1944. He also personally fought for my brothers and me. He was one of the lucky ones who got to come home, but he had his demons, too. War does that to you. And it does it to families. We are already at war here in the States against each other. We are again fighting for our freedom and democracy…this time, we don’t have foot soldiers doing our bidding…we only have each other. We all need to think about how we want to carry on the legacy of those who have gone on before us and sacrificed their lives. What kind of life do we want for our children and grandchildren? Those are the thoughts we have to have with ourselves…I’m taking my father’s route and will stand up for my kids' future, especially my precious grandchildren. I’m going to vote for democracy and freedom because that is the only choice we have. Like those brave young men who fought for us, who gave up their lives for our freedom…we cannot do any less going forward. Don’t be pulled in or fooled by misconceptions and lies because if we get it wrong this time, there will be no turning back.
Lastly, as I was getting ready to leave the beach and head back to our tour bus, I took one last look as the ocean turned a bit rough, and there was a bald eagle in front of me. He was way out, but I shot him as a reminder of my time in Normandy…this morning, I looked up the significance of the bald eagle, and here is what it said: “The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolize the strength and freedom of America. But as latter-day citizens, we shall fail in our trust if we permit the eagle to disappear.” Perhaps you might want to keep that Eagle in mind as you move through the rest of this year.
May we honor this day and remember all who fought for us. May we also honor our future.
This post is dedicated to my dad, who has stood up for my future and for all of those I love. It’s my turn now to honor him as I fight his fight again for my family's future.
