In Flanders Fields

BY JOHN MCCRAE

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

This has always been a favorite poem of mine regarding war and those who serve. Written by John McCrae, a medic during World War I, it inspires the living to keep up the fight in honor of those who have already perished for the cause.  Keep pushing on, so our deaths were not in vain, cry those who have paid the ultimate price. 

I’ve been thinking – what motivates young men and women today to enlist in the military?  I did a little research on this in honor of our veterans.  Some join now, as in times past, because enlisting means “three squares a day” and a place to rest your head. Military service offers the security of a paycheck in uncertain times and the possibility of education and advancing into well-paying careers. And for others who grow up in military families, it simply means doing the expected and serving your country. 

Woven into all of these reasons for enlisting is a sense of pride in the honor and privilege of being a soldier. Above all, our soldiers are there to defend, protect, and ultimately bring about peace.  It was no accident that enlistments increased after 9/11, as many felt compelled to honorably serve our country in a time of great uncertainty. 

While at Luther Ridge visiting my father, I witnessed the tears and emotion of those who well remember wars of the past. As patriotic songs were sung with the residents, tears flowed.  Memories of battles long past resurfaced. It brought tears to my own eyes as I witnessed both pain and pride in the faces of some who well remember great sacrifice. 

Dear Lord, may we honor those who “take up the quarrel” as John McCrae so eloquently penned over 100 years ago.  May we acknowledge the sacrifice of serving with encouraging words and a listening ear. As we move on from Memorial Day this week, 

may we retain the spirit of the day by being mindful to honor those who serve and sacrifice. 

Blessings,

Diana