大象传媒

From comedian & writer Paul Kerensa:聽
Three-quarters of a century ago today, my grandparents travelled from their Cornish village to London鈥檚 West End, for the party of the century. VE Day meant celebrations everywhere, but for my grandparents, it meant St Austell to Trafalgar Square, along with my Great Uncle John, now in his nineties, still working the farm down west. He said recently: 鈥淥h, it was quite some do!鈥� I bet it was.聽
My other Granddad was up in Dundee, flying Liberators with 206 Squadron. They were just a few of the millions celebrating that day. It helps me to remember the individuals, taking their place in the bigger picture. Because when I learnt about VE Day growing up, I think it came across to me like a single celebration, a single victory. As I鈥檝e grown, I鈥檝e appreciated more the many stories behind it. It would take a lifetime to tell each one, each life 鈥� all the smaller victories that led to the big one.聽
I heard it said once that little victories lead to bigger victories, that affect the battles, that win wars. So today I鈥檓 reflecting with gratitude, on all those individuals who gave so much, who together made VE Day possible. Perhaps the lens of today gives me a renewed appreciation of those countless acts, by heroes who dug deep and worked together for a common goal. 75 years ago today, Westminster Abbey hosted VE Day鈥檚 Thanksgiving service. It included a prayer, asking God 鈥渢o grant, with malice toward none, with charity to all, that we may strive to finish the task appointed us: to bind up the wounds of the nations, to care for those who鈥檝e borne the battle... to do everything to achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.鈥澛�
The prayer quoted Abraham Lincoln鈥檚 inauguration speech, 80 years previous. So nearly 75 years on again, it鈥檚 my prayer today. From Cornwall to Dundee and beyond, I give thanks for the individual heroic acts, that brought Victory to Europe. Maybe it鈥檚 a reminder, while we wait for new victory in our time, to keep celebrating the little victories, that are paving the way towards the big one. Because another party鈥檚 coming 鈥� and it鈥檒l be 鈥渜uite some do鈥� 鈥� we just don鈥檛 know the date yet.