“Those heroes that shed their blood
and lost their lives…
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
now here in this country of ours…
You, the mothers,
who sent their sons from faraway countries
wipe away your tears;
your sons are now lying in our bosom
and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have
become our sons as well.”
– Atatürk 1934
With love, and respect,
Israel. xo
(PS For my international friends, today is ANZAC Day – a day of remembrance for Australian soldiers lost in battle. I visited ANZAC COVE in 2003 with Belinda, and posted about it here.)