ECHOES OF THE ROAD

  The last Battle of Britain fighter pilot, the Irish John ‘Paddy’ Hemmingway died yesterday, St Patricks day. He was 105 years old and 21 when he took part in 1940.   We see immortalised in photos, captured in black and white, young people in their prime many of who died in battle. Is this a defining moment as the last of the few are no more? Will the memory of what they did now evaporate? Will old men ever stop sending their young people to kill each other? It doesn’t have to be November 11 to pause and reflect. It can be any day.

I have not blogged for since February 23 because a) I can be a lazy bugger and b) I have been thinking deeply. On March 6 Clay posted in his blog   Good day to die reflection  has had me transfixed.  I’ve read this post multiple times and listened to it twice (using Siri) in particular the following woke me up like a cold shower: This phrase resonates with strength and fearless acceptance. Often attributed to Native American warriors, particularly the Lakota Sioux, it encapsulates a mindset where life and death intertwine, not as opposites, but as integral parts of a seamless existential dance. At first glance, it might seem like a call to arms—a warrior’s fearless charge into battle. But looking deeper, we find something richer, more nuanced, and strikingly relevant today. This statement is not merely about death; it’s about embracing life so fully, so passionately, that each day feels complete. It reflects  living with integrity, purpose, and a clear conscience...