Veteran’s Day

The English-language channels that we receive all come from the UK. So even CNN has a British flourish. For over a month now, newscasters and talk show hosts have been wearing red poppies. I only today found out why.

For today, Remembrance Day, the news was covering a ceremony (I didn’t catch where) that showed three of the four remaining British veterans from WWI being honored. A gentleman (again, I didn’t catch whom) said the following poem and there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd (nor here at home):

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am in a thousand winds that blow,

I am the softly falling snow.

I am the gentle showers of rain,

I am the fields of ripening grain.

I am in the morning hush,

I am in the graceful rush

Of beautiful birds in circling flight,

I am the starshine of the night.

I am in the flowers that bloom,

I am in a quiet room.

I am in the birds that sing,

I am in each lovely thing.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there. I do not die.

My grandpa is a veteran, and my thoughts are with him today as with many of our friends who have served.