I am reading a book called “Hira Singh: When India Came To Fight In The Flanders”. This book is set in the early part of the last century. I think it is set in or around World War I. I am not sure, because this is a bit of history that I have no idea about.
In my view this book, though unknown, ranks up there with books like “All Quiet On The Western Front”. It tells the story of ordinary soldiers, those who have been sent in to fight and die, by the wise leaders we sometimes vote into office.
This is an extraordinary book on a few fronts. One, while it is told in a rather matter of fact manner, it tells of the horrors of war, of trenches being converted into graveyards, for the forgotten and unknown soldier. There is enough wisdom in the book, for me to actually sit there reading with a notebook, writing down quotes from the book.
I shall, in the coming weeks, inflict some of these on you. They are worth pondering over.
It is a story that tells of honour, of comradeship, of leadership in some of the harshest conditions you can imagine; it tells of pride, of conviction.
These are values that we would do well to remember, in my view.
We often talk against war, and I am against war as anyone else. Yet, there is great honour in those who are sent to fight. There is much that we need to learn from them.
They are not perfect, yet they are people who we can look up to, often, and salute.
Why are they sent to war? Why are they sent to die, to suffer, to suffer psychological trauma for us, often when this is not necessary?
And how is it that, despite all this, they maintain some of the highest standards of valour, of pride, of leadership and comradeship?
And how is it that, when we send them to war, we often forget these very values that we expect them to maintain?
Fighting with honour for sure is a thing of the past. Today someone sits in an office at Frankfurt and kills whomsoever he likes by pressing a button of the drone controller … I think, weaponry has become far too strong and devastating, meanwhile.
The one honour that might be left, could be to unite the whole world, send the British and US-Americans home and make sure they’ll never leave their piece of earthly terrain again … 🙂
That would be interesting… They have, actually, been the most aggressive nations
🙂
This post made me reflect so much, Rajiv… thank you for sharing it with us.
Thanks a lot Lily..
can’t seem to find too many in the corporate world who understand the meaning of “going down with the ship”
No, there are very few indeed. My old boss would throw you under the truck if it helped his career
Reblogged this on Ta hendene til din kjære – se på dem og hold dem hardt Disse hendene skal du følge, leie og lede. Du skal få føle på varmen fra dem og kjenne en inderlig glede. De skal stryke deg og de skal holde rundt deg – de er ikke skapt for å såre i vrede For du skal ikke alene mer vandre. De skal klemme og kose og aldri klandre De skal skjerme deg for det du ikke selv ser. De skal elske og aldri forakte – bare hjelpe når du ber. Disse hendene skal jobbe for at dere skal få det godt De skal gi – og du skal takke for det du har fått. De skal tvinnes sammen i kjærlighet og være ømme og gode og et tegn på inderlighet Hendene du holder er sterke og unge De skal gjennom mye for din skyld når dagene er tunge De skal stryke og klemme og være gode og fromme De skal ruske i ditt hår og takke når dagen er omme Disse hendene skal følge deg gjennom livet. De skal holde fast ved deg og verne om samlivet De skal være hos deg når alle andre har gått De skal aldri slippe men holde fast og tørke tårer når du har grått. Hendene skal bære din ring med rette Den skal skinne og for alle berette Jeg elsker deg! – kan den bekjenne Det er bare en som har maken til denne En dag er hendene blitt ru og grå Hver fure og rynke forteller om livet som bak dere lå Dere kan minnes den dagen i dag – da et livslangt bånd Ble knyttet Og fra denne dag dere gikk Hånd i hånd..
Thanks for the reblog!
Min glede😊🌷