A Sanguineous Destiny

    The whistles blew, the piper played a Scottish lament and the crowd stood in silence as they awaited 7.30am, zero hour. Today, July 1 2016, throughout the UK and France, we commemorate the Battle of the Somme.

    The battle that lasted one hundred and forty-one days, came at a price; one million men becoming casualties of this horrific trench war. In excess of twenty-five thousand being killed on the first day.

   
    Young men from the age of fifteen-years upwards marched into a sanguineous destiny. The live's of whole families changed, as they heard the news that they would never see their fathers, brothers and uncles again. The young soldiers hopes and aspirations disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Approximately twenty-two thousand men lie in unmarked graves in France and for many years their sacrifice and that of the others was forgotten. However, one hundred-years on, we now recognise what every man did for us and today we can all say thanks.

In my Heart of Hearts

    I lost a good friend at the weekend a good man who will be missed. But, his memory will never die.

The last time I said goodbye to you

In my heart of hearts I knew

We would never meet again
At last, you no longer endure any pain
Your suffering has come to an end
God bless, my good friend

War of Words

King Robert the Bruce

    King Robert the Bruce, led his men into battle in the First War of Independence against King Edward's, English army at Bannockburn, Scotland on the 23 June 1314.

    Who would have thought that seven and two years on, another war of independence would be fought within the UK.

    The war that has taken place over the last few months has been at times a nasty war of words. With the government  led by Prime Minister, David Cameron split down the middle as to whether the UK should remain, or exit the European Union.

     Thankfully, we didn't take to the battlefield, democracy allowed the people of the country to decide the outcome by allowing a referendum and the Brexit vote, as it was named took place yesterday,

Site of the Battle of Bannockburn

    The population and government woke up this morning to the shock news that our country voted to leave the union and the news that David Cameron has resigned. No blows exchanged, but lots of battered egos for sure.

    I have no idea if this is good news, or bad for the UK. However, there are uncertain times for us all to face.

Chink in the Armour

 

Sir John de Graeme's tomb

    Sir William Wallace is a name which is known throughout the world and someone I have written about previously.

    But, great warriors such as Wallace are only as good as the men and women who are willing to follow their command, therefore it is important that they also protect their own well-being by having a valuable assistant and confidant.

The Wallace Monument, Abbey Craig

    Wallace was no different and in a church-yard very close by to my home lies the body of, Sir John de Graeme, his right-hand man.

Stirling Bridge

    Graeme fought alongside Wallace in Scotland's battles of independence, most famously the Battle of Stirling Bridge, where the Scots defeated King Edward's army in 1297.

    However, one year on, July 22 1298, Sir John met his demise at the Battle of Falkirk. It is said that due to ill-fitting armour a sword penetrated through a small chink and not only did Wallace lose the battle he lost his close colleague.

    Sir William Wallace, saddened by his friend and fellow warrior's death took Graeme's body into his arms and carried it to its final resting place, the church-yard where it still lies entombed today.

    The following words carved on the stone seemed especially poignant as the bells were ringing out when I took the photograph and also reminded me that there are still constant battles being fought for our freedom.

'Her lyse Sir John the Graeme, baithwight and wise.

Ane of the chief who rescewit Scotland thryse.

Ane better knight no to the world was lent,

Nor was gude Graeme of truth and hardiment.'

Love

The love we have can never be replicated

It's exclusive to you and me

What we share is felt within

Hidden, invisible, something others will never see

There is no need for words when we are together

Our minds, our souls, entwined

We speak as one, even when apart

Because the love we feel, is encapsulated, embedded in the heart

When a Stranger Walks Into Our Life

 

    We encounter strangers in our lives frequently. We meet them in the shopping-mall, coffee-shop, library, restaurants, bars and even through other friends.

    Some we may interact with, initially exchanging polite conversation that leads to this casual acquaintance into becoming a friend, who will go on to have a great impact on us.

    But, those strangers we never have the opportunity to chat with and befriend we rarely think about how their actions can change our lives too.

    However, yesterday we all woke-up to news that clearly illustrates that we don't need to know someone, for the individual to turn our world upside down.

Freedom in Dystopia

    Five years after the, June 6 1944, D-Day landings, George Orwell's book, 1984 was published. The dystopian world it took place in with, Big Brother, watching the inhabitants every move and taking note of their every thought I suppose doesn't seem so far fetched as it was back then in 1949.

    However, if brave men and women hadn't made that journey in 1944 to France, what would our world be like now?

    There is the chance that we would not have the right to have free thoughts, or individuality as it was in Orwell's world. Who knows? But, thank you.