My son has been practicing the Last Post for Anzac Day at school He's been practicing everyday for the last 3 months and I know he's got it sounding good because last week I even found myself humming it.
Our neighbours will probably welcome a break from it, with the trumpet ringing out with that emotional tune around 8am everyday, but it's been a good chance for him to practice some persistence and to think of people other than himself.
When I think of those soldiers in the fields of Flanders, or hanging to the cliffs of Gallipoli, I think persistence is a good word to describe their strength of character. Particularly in World War 1 when so many young people signed up for adventure and instead got horror, I think their willingness to finish the task against all common sense and in the most trying of conditions, shows great character.
I'm hopeful than none of my children will have to go to war, and I'm thankful that a modern war would not be like that anyway, but I think we all owe it to those men and women to be thankful for the life we have, however ordinary that might seem.
