For Remembrance Day
Never doubt that when you listen to the voice of a person who has witnessed places of conflict, you will be hearing the echoes of battles reflected in that voice.
That their view and picture of life as it was, has been defined by a time when small events would have big impacts.
Or where life was sometimes measured in the survival of a day or of ground that was successfully crossed.
To then have moments to once again breathe and laugh off those events, but later relive them time and again.
Reflected in their voice, maybe the sounds of buried fear, of loss or deep sadness, and sadly maybe despair.
As a haunted soul tries to deal with things and thoughts that don't seem to ever diminish.
Sometimes all you can do, the best you can do, is not to feel you need to express regret or sadness for things you cannot truly comprehend.
What you can do is embrace that moment with them, just listen and talk and listen.
And in just that small act, help them to regain some lost humanity.
And in time however long that may be.
They will return to us more whole than they were.
(Copyright 2021 Kevin Palmer, all rights reserved)