We were in Normandy 2 years ago and when we were at the American cemetery our young guide shared with us a wonderful tradition that the people of Normandy have carried on for 70 years now. After the war, everyone or almost everyone, in Normandy “adopted” a deceased soldier and they would prayer for that soldier and his family, correspond with that soldier’s family, decorate their grave and do anything they could to honor that soldier. She showed us the grave of the soldier her grandfather “adopted” and how he decorated the grave and corresponded with the family until her grandfather died. Then her father carried on the tradition and now our young guide and her sister carries it on. She said when she has children and she becomes too old to care for the grave or correspond with the descendants of the soldier’s family, her kids will carry on the tradition. She reiterated over and over how thankful the people have Normandy are for what the American soldiers did for them and that they are just ingrained with gratitude from the time they are young.I thought it was a lovely tradition and showed how after 70 years they are still so grateful.Yours in remembrance,Nancy
Our American culture has never experienced the ravages of war and occupation, unless you are Native American, and then these facts are all too well known to you. But as a culture we have forgotten the importance of tradition and to honor those who have sacrificed for us. We may have lost our connection to family where a tradition like the one described above could happen. It is encouraging to find that in some cultures this tradition remains and is passed down from generation to generation.
Remembrance allows us to honor those who have gone before and to live our lives is a way that honors those who will follow. Native American culture teaches honor to the past seven generations and to the next seven generation. In this way there is a continuity of honor and remembering of those who have gone before and to those who will follow. This is how tradition is made and carried on.
It seems that in Normandy a tradition of honoring those soldiers who gave their lives in the war has carried on through several generations. And the tradition appears to be done with love and gratitude for the sake of remembering the sacrifice that was made so that others could be free.
Another friend of mine's adult son ask for remembrances of D-Day so I forwarded him this email. I am happy that many young people are remembering what was done that day and the sacrifices that were made. I hope that we never forget.
I also remember that my father who was in WWII, and my mother who waited with faith that he would return unharmed, believed that this was the war that would make the world safe. Unfortunately it didn't. We are still fighting wars in foreign lands and lives are still sacrificed, although we, the American public, have come to realize that war is fueled by greed, and only benefits those in power.
Our returning soldiers are now treated better than those who returned from Viet Nam, but they still are left to heal the psychological wounds that war causes. At least these wounds are now acknowledged and somewhat better understood than in my husband's day as a Viet Nam Vet, and my father's day after WWII.
I guess we call this progress; although I feel real progress is the ending of the need and greed that fuels the hungry war machine. So I sit between my desire to honor those who made this sacrifice and my awareness that war is the most useless and destructive force in the world. War feeds our most basic instincts, but those who have served deserve our highest honor for their sacrifices.
The people of Normandy give us an example of how not to forget those brave souls who answered the call of our country, who served, and the many who have died in this service. Gratitude is a gift each soldier demands and deserves. I hope that on this D-Day we each will take a moment to remember all those who have served our country.
Namaste, my friends.
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