I admire how the Dutch honor this day. As a veteran who has seen the worse of the world I know that the Dutch realize it isn’t a day of celebration it is a day of remembrance of all the costs of war. Not only for soldiers who fight these conflicts for their governments but for the souls of millions of civilians who suffer and pay the cost of conflict.
This morning the Hubby and I made our early morning drive to a local US Air Force crash site to lay flowers in remembrance of the sacrifices they made to freedom. Not only for themselves but to the all European Nations that waged war against the Nazi’s of World War Two.
Millions of lives were struck down before they could really experience life. Young children taken to prisoners camps and killed, pilots and gunners of allied flight crews that flew countless missions (over 6000 flights crashed over Dutch soil). The many families that were separated and never seen or heard from again to those who returned to the home soil changed forever.
Today, the Dutch will pause for 2 minutes of silence nation wide. To remember all that was lost, gained, and to never forget!
We didn’t forget the crew of the bomber Jayhawk. Please visit the site dedicated to their Air squadron. Then remember we are here due to all the sacrifices of those who came before us. Honor them today and always.
Stay safe, stay humble, and stay healthy. Love always!
©️ The Cedar Journal, 2020, all rights reserved.
Thank you, Paula, for sharing this day of honor with us. Your respect and your thankfulness show in your words and images. Thank you also for serving our country.
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The tulips are a powerful symbol for the people of the Netherlands, especially on Memorial Day.
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Yes, and orange ones are even more symbolic. Thanks for stopping.
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Loved this post. So rarely do we stop now and thank those heroes from WWII for basically saving the world. Wish we had them now.
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You are not joking! I wish we still had them around to guide us through this too. There are a few but far too much of their knowledge has been lost or wasted on deaf ears over the last 75 years. Thanks for stopping and commenting.
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I love that the Dutch truly remember and honor all those whose lives were lost or devastated by the war. I hate how Memorial Day in the states has simply turned into an extra vacation day for so many….
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Me too… but, I always made sure we did something to honor the military at the national cemetery. My sons and I helped with flags there in St Louis, one year. It is always a special and deeply personal day for me.
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