![](\"https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/945a4f95e721709d4096282cc\/_compresseds\/d9b055d0-b2d9-0d01-6b4c-6ddc975d6faf.jpg\")
<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hey, just popping in to share something special today.
\nIt’s about Ieper.<\/p>\n
Ieper\u00a0is where I lost it.
\nAnd then I found it.<\/p>\n
This week I went to Ieper, Belgium, the Fields of Flanders, where thousands of soldiers from WW1 perished. Their graves are beautifully maintained, and I spent the day walking through many of them.<\/p>\n
I stood motionless at one grave in particular, and read the inscription of Eric Henderson\u2019s grave. He died at the age of 21.<\/p>\n
\u201cTread softly o\u2019er my beautiful Eric\u2019s grave, for a mother\u2019s love lies here\u201d<\/p>\n
And then I looked up and saw my son, just a few years younger than Eric, standing still and paying his respects at another grave.
\nAnd then I lost it.
\nAfter crying for a while, I felt empty.<\/p>\n
But then I found it.<\/p>\n
I thought of all these young men who perished, far, far away from their families, so long ago, and perished for a promise.
\nI thought of their mothers, praying endlessly for their safety, with no word from the front line, until it was too late.
\nI thought of all the young Ukrainian men today, far away from their families, fighting for freedom.
\nI thought of their mothers, who cannot hold them and comfort them.
\nI thought of my Syrian friends, who have not felt their mother\u2019s hug for many, many years.<\/p>\n
Today is Remembrance Day in the Netherlands, where we stop and honor soldiers who have perished everywhere.
\nIn other parts of the world, it\u2019s just a Wednesday.
\nBut for many, a Wednesday that they are too far away from the ones they love.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
This poem was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who was a soldier, a doctor, and a poet. He wrote this poem on May 3, 1915, while sitting in the back of an ambulance, after noting how quickly poppies grew among the graves of the soldiers \u2013 some of whom he had buried himself.<\/p>\n
In Flanders Fields<\/p>\n
In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow
\nBetween the crosses, row on row,
\nThat mark our place; and in the sky
\nThe larks, still bravely singing, fly
\nScarce heard amid the guns below.<\/p>\n
We are the dead. Short days ago
\nWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
\nLoved and were loved, and now we lie,
\nIn Flanders fields.<\/p>\n
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
\nTo you from failing hands we throw
\nThe torch; be yours to hold it high.
\nIf ye break faith with us who die
\nWe shall not sleep, though poppies grow
\nIn Flanders fields.<\/p>\n
***
\nTake a moment to count your blessings.
\nYou might have more than you think.
\nIf the hug of someone you love feels like a distant memory, I hug you today in my heart.
\nAnd every day thereafter.<\/p>\n
Love, Buffi<\/p>\n
<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hey, just popping in to share something special today. It’s about Ieper. Ieper\u00a0is where I lost it. And then I found it. This week I went to Ieper, Belgium, the Fields of Flanders, where thousands of soldiers from WW1 perished. Their graves are beautifully maintained, and I spent the day walking through many of them. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12159,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n