Day 31 lockdown. April 25th Anzac Day. Diary, J and T fly home from London. WH and I head to Annecy France.
In the Neighbourhood today was special. We woke before dawn and made our way to the end of the driveway with our phones set to broadcast the dawn service. We weren’t the first to the street and as our eyes became accustomed to the pre dawn darkness more body shapes emerged in the shadows. At 6am we turn on the radio to listen to the service, a neighbour blows his bugle, playing the last post. The moment is poignant and its easy for tears to sting your eyes. There is no place like home and today this is felt keenly as we remember those who fought for us to be here and those who never made it home.
We say the ode of remembrance, sing the anthems, and take a minute in silence to remember them. We then follow the hordes down to the beach to watch the sun rise. Grateful. As the thin light reaches through the night sky you begin to see just how many people are sitting, standing, watching, waiting and once again feeling grateful for being here in this place. Home.
The sky burns as it announces the day and we are once again treated to a stunning sunrise. Hundreds of us along the beach collectively watch from our isolation bubbles, alone-together we will remember them.
