Tuesday 19 January 2010

Sunday scribblings "-the old days"

G'Day,
I m doing this prompt a few days late. You see yesterday I got wrapped up in a book and didn't put it down, literally , all day. It is a book I have read before and one that was made into a mini series for T.V. but it was a while since I last read it. Then I read the Sunday Scribblings prompt for this week.
The old days, the good old days.
Here is am excerpt from the book.

(Even after the car stopped no one moved. They looked so different. For one thing they seemed to have grown inches, which indeed they had, the last few years of their development had occurred far from Drogheda, and had pushed them way above their older brothers. Not boys anymore but men, not in the mold of their brothers. Hardship, battle euphoria and violent death had made something out of them that Drogheda never could. The north African sun had darkened them to a rosy mahogany, peeled away every layer of childhood. Yes it was possible to believe these two men in their simple uniforms, slouch hats pinned above their left ears with the badge of the rising sun , had killed other men. It was in their eyes, blue as Paddy's but sadder, without the gentleness.
"My boys, My boys!" cried Mrs Smith, running to them, tears streaming down her face. No it didn't matter what they had done, how much they had changed; they were still her little babies she had washed and diapered, fed them, whose wounds she had kissed better. Only the wounds that they harbored now were beyond her power to heal.)
I shortened it a bit, but this is a passage from 'The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough.
What I wanted to say about this is "The Good Old Days?"
This passage refers to twin brothers Patsy and Jim returning home to the family property after the second world war.
Looking back through my, limited I admit, knowledge of such times, these sorts of days have continued as far back as history records. Over and over again. Then, there is the ones who don't return home.
Yeah we all love a fight don't we.
Will we ever learn.
Maybe I am just a woman, a mother and a soldier's daughter but....
Don't think I am not patriotic and appreciative of what warriors such as these have done for us.

While we give, gift by birthright or allow mankind to take power over each other there will always be some poor silly patriotic bastard to step up and do their leader's fighting for them. Or maybe not so patriotic, just poor, financially or intellectually, wanting to follow, fight I dunno what ever...by self will or by force.
Out there today, based on the news we receive each night, albeit with a twist to influence, we have a man in North Korea, a government in the middle east, a warrior hiding somewhere in the world, who all want to stir along and continue our demise. There are others, lots of them.
Do you believe that the gods or prophets want us to do this.
To slaughter each other in their names?
Aren't they supposed to love us?
Aren't we made in their images?
Aren't they supposed to tell us to love each other?
Do they only want us to love the ones who are the same colour, creed or religion?
Do we have to prove that we love them by killing the people that don't agree with our or their personal credo?
No! I think not.
Or.. are we just using them as an excuse to do so?
There is some weird, cruel quirk built into our natures as human beings that makes us killers.
Why is it that when things happen anywhere around the world we want to help? Take for example the horrific effects of the recent earth quake in Haiti.
But we justify the same damage done to other places in the name of war? Why?
So many more points I could add into this post.
Yeah... the good old days.
Pftttt!
Bye
Love Linda.

10 comments:

Old Egg said...

Once many, many years ago, opposing armies would put up their champion to do one on one battle with the champion on the other side. Winning settled the dispute and everyone went back home.

Perhaps we could change the rules a bit and the champions would have to be politicians. This might lessen the amount of wars.

As you come from Canberra, the home of Australian Government I hope you agree.

Gud onya

linda may said...

Sounds good! I am not a real Canberran I've been here less than 2yrs. I reckon the leaders locked in a padded cell until they sort it out would be good to ;)

Americanising Desi said...

now this is some info!

Good Ol' Days'

anthonynorth said...

I thought I'd give SS another try, so here I am :-)
I spent 9 years in the forces and throughout I thought my primary task was to deter. I think most soldiers from democratic countries think the same. Sadly there are too many politicians and fanatics around the world who think different.

Shadow said...

just remember, you are living in the good-old-days-to-be right now...

Jae Rose said...

Powerful point. Very nicely made. I was thinking the same about Haiti. It's ok that some people are trapped under buildings but not others (not that anyone should suffer this fate) but I think I can see what you mean..Glad we had the SS prompt back! Jae

George S Batty said...

Nice one Linda. I think people like you should be the politicians but unfortunately the logic that you so eloquently write sbout disapperars with the greed of politics. War is about greed and nothing else.

Bimbimbie said...

Hi there Linda, If only we could identify that war gene and have it removed at birth, sits alongside that pesky religious one I think *!*

George S Batty said...

Hi Linda....OLd Grizz here.. I was trying to have too many blogs and write but found i wan't writing so I consolidated all sites to just one http://tatersmaterswordsandwater.blogspot.com/

I am commenting on your blog as sg beatty. I read your poem on Australia and sent you a link on the author. If that didn't come thru let me know and I will send it again.. OG dba sg beatty

Merle said...

Dear Linda ~~ Great post about a great writer - Colleen McCulloch.
The Thorn Birds was terrific wasn't it? I like the idea of the politicians fighting the wars, as
there wouldn't be many at all then.

I am so sorry you don't have an air/conditioner when it has been so hot. I guess you have fans which are better than nothing.
Take care, my friend, Love, Merle.