14 September 2014

well did you ever...?

Every three or four years I rather idly google my name to see what is floating around cyberspace. Occasionally I have been horrified to find things that I thought were quite private rather easily accessed. However, it is the price we pay for using the web.

This evening I rather casually invited someone to google my name to learn a little more about what I do. I didn't want to bore a new friend with too much information that might be of little interest, because I do get on my soap box sometimes. Then I thought "Yikes, I haven't googled for a while. I wonder what is out there now?" I found this, from a trip to Atina. It is something that I remember well but had not seen on the web.

I had not expected to be called to speak, and in sharing the memories of NZ veterans, particularly those talking about the conditions the civilians were living in, is draining, emotionally exhausting. I am happy to be the link between then and now, but it does come at a cost. I go home saddened, and have to remind myself that it was all 70 years ago and this is another life.

But how can one think of this without thinking about what is happening in the world today?

Although not a Catholic I occasionally read in Italian papers what the Pope is saying. I very much like what he is preaching. He said recently that we must work LOUDLY for peace, not quietly. So, because I agree, I am repeating this theme and asking "What am I doing to promote peace? And - are my words idle and empty ones?"

Let there be peace on earth. And if necessary, let us work through the internet to promote it.

What am I doing? Well, after being totally exhausted with the 70th anniversary commemorations and the extra large opening of Legato, I have happily retreated and have been writing children's books with the theme of peace. Any ideas for how I might get these published are most welcome.

Today I am grateful for google. 

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