WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menoffagainorrhoea; Fields Repurposed P3 (a MenoSunday LLL post)

For myself, a large part of living life Lovingly is to honour those who came before us. In particular, those who gave their lives in service of their nation. One can argue much about the rights and wrongs of armed conflict, but nothing can detract from the fact that there are many centuries of lives lost to battles both small and large. Wherever one is in the world, regardless of one's nationality, those who defended our countries deserve our recognition and memory. Of course, we can hold up examples of despicable behaviours on 'the other side' (pick a side, any side), but the edges are very blurry in war (and not-war) and even 'our own side', the one we identify with, will not have been without its misdemeanours and what would be considered criminal in 'civvy street'... and sometimes even in war.

Yes, there have been and continue to be many wrongs in the name of protection of life and liberty, no matter where in the world that is. However, there are equally acts of great worth and heroism, and it is these which must be honoured. We must remember the negative in order to appreciate the positive.

The theory is that we learn history in order to not repeat it. The definition of stupidity is to keep repeating the same foolish acts expecting better results. What does this say about Mankind as a species?

These and many other thoughts came flooding forward as I began preparing these posts about my June trip to Suffolk and here we are on the fourth post about June 19th in particular, when Aitch and I visited the most amazing Flixton Air Museum. As we drove away, Aitch had her geocache satellite on and, armed with clues from around the museum, we were headed - as it turned out - to the actual airfield itself. Or what remains of it.

































The cache being sought took us to a point which looked across a flat-as-a-pancake wheatfield, on which could be seen some broken down buildings that were likely survivors from that era. On researching more about this place, I discovered that we were parked at the South end of the one remaining intact piece of runway on which are to be found buildings which can be explored...

That 'top lane' now forms part of the actual road driven. The runway is the bit pointing up from my red marker. I estimate the ruins we could see sit about two thirds down that left 'lane'.


























The cache located and marked, there was time to fit in another at the more traditional scene of church surrounds before going on to our tea party. It was St Peter South Elmham.

















































It was a most peaceful and attractive church, wherein I took the opportunity to offer up prayers of thanks and remembrance for the those whose stories we'd had the privilege to witness during our visit to Flixton. Yes, we have dedicated days in each of our countries for such remembrance, filled with pomp and circumstance which is all right and proper. However, continued remembrance is a gentler honour, more connecting, Loving. We must never forget.


13 comments:

  1. You about have me speechless....and you know that is a rare thing. What beautiful photos and words and the stain glass window.
    Hugs HiC

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  2. What a beautiful stained glass masterpiece!
    Love Barb

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  3. These sites put a lump in my throat; tears in my eyes. I think I'm growing old.

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  4. What a stunning church!!! Beautiful outside and inside. And oh those stained glass windows are amazing!!! Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Stone buildings are a favorite of mine and this church is beautiful, inside and outside. I always smile inside my head when I read a post and then the comments on that post at how each of us read it and see/feel/say different things. one person gets a lump in her throat, another is speechless, another focused on the stained glass. now I will tell you as I read the post this is what popped in my head. I am different for sure.
    I thought of this when you said Learn from past mistakes and how humans never seem to learn enough. as I watch movies and read books and see photos from the past, I always thingk about how DUMB the soldiers were as they lined up in lines facing each other, then galloped or ran towards each other, firing and stabbing. no way to miss the enemy on either side. and the did it from the beginning of time. in chariots and on horse and on foot. makes no sense to me at all... but then neither does war.

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    1. Hari OM
      ...and I love your response about how folk respond! It is so true; I am aware when I write my 'D&M' posts that not everyone is necessarily going to see it the way I do, or some may even grasp the wrong end of the stick, or it triggers something and they don't wish to face the core message. This does not sway me from writing it though. Ultimately, blogging (as mentioned in earlier post) is about recording one's own thoughts and observations and adding to the tapestry of society. Every thread has its place.

      Your own reaction sits well with me. What concerns me more now is the move towards 'remote war'. The potential for collateral damage seems, to me, to be far greater now...

      Love and Peace to you! Yxx

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  6. Is that church still in use, since the outside seems to be horribly overgrown.

    When I learned about one of my own family (albeit not blood relative) having died during the Japanese occupation of parts of Asia, remembering has become a bit more poignant for me. And still very necessary!

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    1. Hari OM
      Mara, many churches, like to work with the call to have 'wildflower pasture' for the encouragement of insects, bees and butterflies. It is a bone of contention though (as will be mentioning in a later post), for there is supposed to be a duty of care around headstones.

      There is no doubt that when we find a personal connection, the purpose of remembrance becomes much clearer... Yxx

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  7. Hello, beautiful church and I love the stained glass window. Pretty flower. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day and new week!

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  8. Love the church. Yes we need to remember those who gave their lives on both sides of a conflict because often those individuals did not have a choice.

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  9. The church is quietly beautiful.

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  10. Is that ever fun! I did ONE geocache, then things got in my way!!!!
    I agree with your sentiment, loathe the war, love the soldiers.

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