Gareth,
you know, we just carry on with our normal lives every day, as if everything is okay, we are all so self focused and self centered.
Just accepting everything as logical and automatically working out well.
Until I get into bed tonight and see that you have liked one of my posts sharing a Sunday afternoon braai with friends and family and then the whole thing jerks me to a halt !! I then suddenly realise that there are you, Gareth, not having the luxuries that we so take for granted. Not having a braai, not having family and friends to socialise with. It almost makes me feel guilty....but I know it shouldn't.
But it does.
Tonight I just want to tell you and share with you my feelings and respect for you and the situation you are in.
There are so many of us that think if you, pray for you, are with you in spirit.
You share our joys with us on facebook. But you know what...every day that passes is a day closer to your freedom. That is for sure.
We all know that and believe that.....all of us who are your facebook friends. And you believe it too.....I know it.
Be strong Gareth...
always on our minds and thoughts. Keep it up partner.....and may I have the privilage to personally shake your hand one day...
Hi Gareth.. Da.Lr
Thank you very much for this e mail.
And since I know the limitations of your device, the lengthy reply is even more appreciated.
You show a very deep understanding of the dilemmas that confronted all of us. Your description and vivid images are excellent. I am glad that you enjoy my poetry.
It is good to read the comments from a connoisseur like yourself. You should consider putting this on the 61 FB site.
You are a well known person in 61. I believe it will be received very positively.
Unfortunately I will not know since I am not on the 61 Gp.
Personal problems with the admins.
I do not know your religious connotations and also not your future. But should you consider a real soul enriching experience and also a form of non secular recognition, you should consider a course in Metaphysics as the link. When I was on a all-out low 6 years back this course brought some very valuable perspectives to
6, Gareth Rutherford <rutherfordgareth@gma
Hi Dawid..
I wanted to share a facet of my response to your clear and vivid images on recent posts.
I am so enjoying your writings here silent and alone..and i am most anxious to tell you this.Images of our thoughts when confronted by the "pinch zone" .. do or die. Combat situations.
I am not as well experienced as you by far.. but still remember these same dilemmas that confronted all of us.
Me then just a little lancejack section medic..As you so poignantly describe...The fear of the bullet that hunts for your destruction and pain.
The fear of Death itself is something else.?. it was something less realistic then to us young boys, i think.?. quick final and there were few options.
Except maybe.. dying alone.. ?Now there is one i saw..and today still my lasting sadness.
But not here. Later for that.
Another sad tale..But what happens before such combat situations ...is the part that burns itself deeply into those of us who have been so close to it and dodged it.
Seen the side of its face in an instant and ducked away out of its random clutching reach.
The choices we make.. the training we've had.. the weapons and equipment.. our comrades.. all have direct bearing on life or death here.
So "random" may be used speculatively i think.
The constant expectation of being taken by that speeding spinning metal projectile.The savage numbing thud..and its impact, as its kinetic energy transfer into your flesh.. A pulp of fragments or death.
Breathless and winded and suffocating you glance down to where your webbing once covered your stomach to see vapour, dust and blood .. and the numbness.
Or perhaps your leg gone completely and shredded battle fatigues soaked in blood.
And the smell of singed hair ..that same dust ..and your fresh blood... and yet even as the whole world is tilted sideways..Still the hope and trust in knowing that your comrades wont leave you.That they will fetch you..? fix you.?. the medics .. doctors and the great hospitals.?
Frightened more.. alone now they have all gone as the afternoon sun settles low.
Cant feel your legs.. flies in your face..eyes..Only minutes pass and sand in your mouth..lie still.. no pain..And then sounds of voices .. percussive battle.. and then faces close and supporting.
Gentle words and hands deftly bandaging.. no longer alone..now safe.
Reassurance and relief and hope consoling the terror.. washed away in floods of adrenaline.
All too soon.. embers of hope seep away... lying in the lee of the vehicle as flies feast and swarm.
A hand in yours ..as waves of pain sweep through your ebbing hope. Futile tourniques.. morphine and ineffective saline drips.
The rescue too late.. the light grows dim and a prayer at last and a brave knowing smile and closing dry hot eyes and so forever in peace.But not alone.. That is what happened and i am sure much the same as what you have heard before.This was a part of smokeshell i witnessed ...and those young men who waited so long for casevac.. and died under my care... but with their hands in ours.. gently.
So Dawid.. this is a tiny bit of what your words ignite in all of us i am sure..And i have never stopped listening to others who tell of much the same.. sadness and loss.. gallantry.. futility and it all just keeps on repeating.
Different place.. different time.. same blood.. brave young men.Same in the Bible.. over and over..Far worse.I love your language usage.. i read it aloud alone here and its articulation reads much more by the fabric of words you choose so beautifully.
I never respond enough as i read the appreciation by so many who have chanced apon your most vivid articulations.
Most accurate and inspired by your experience and i am sure.. the grateful responses by all of us who devoted our lives to the same causes and live to tell of that war and its secrets that we are perhaps still fighting today.
I hope you make some sense of my language .. as i so enjoy yours.. my afrikaans is fairly fluent and i clearly understand all you say.. even catch your spelling slips.. hahaaa.
But i dont have the vocab i would have, if i spoke every day so its messy and for use in shorter letters.I am stuck in an arab jail far away from home and I delight in the clear pure afrikaans that is my perfect second language and my great pride.
God bless you and family
Regards
Gareth
You should consider putting this on the 61 FB site. You are a well known person in 61.
Ja weet jy my maat ek onthou jou goed. Hoe kan ek een van my seuns vergeet. Ja ek is Piet. Julle het my Fris Chris genoem. From my battle training sergeant major.. He remembers me and I'm so happy for this. I'm so proud to be one of the best soldiers he trained.
Gareth, I've only recently become aware of the awful injustice that you've had to endure and I wanted to reach out to you and say that I'd like to add whatever I can bring to those who are already supporting you and who are involved in trying to rectify the grievous wrong that you've suffered - rather late than never I guess??.
I spoke with Geoff Olivier in the week and he has given me Tammy's number (obviously it will be easier for me to understand directly from Tammy where / what / how I might be ble to contribute to the overall effort, if at all). One thing - i work closely with Desmond Tutu and have done so for the last decade (see www.tutudesk.org for the work I do).
I couldn't guarantee his involvement as he's a very old man now; however, after speaking with Tammy I'll have better understanding of everything and if it's at all possible / feasable - and something that wouldn't upset any other efforts - then it might be possible to engage him directly: to ask him to evaluate if he would consider lending assistance, and if 'yes', then to understand in what form etc etc.
As I've indicated I can't offer you any guarantees in this regard; however, I do believe that there could possibly be an outside chance that we could get him involved in siome way, shape or form if approached correctly and with a ccomprehensive dossier of the facts - which would vindicate you and clearly outline the terrible injustice that you've been a victim of.
No comments:
Post a Comment