BE NOT AFRAID

Robert Lesley Hancock, December 1941

Heroes walk among us.

Be not afraid.

They are Human, first and foremost; you will not know they are all that different than other Men or Women, until they are up all night, one night long ago, when they watched a movie or heard a song. Then their eyes will grow cloudy with memory, and their words will become stumbled, as if they are under the influence of some strong substance.

Be not afraid; they are being transformed by memory…

they will look at you, as if you are a stranger in their world. They will look past you, to the ones left behind, still present but in memory only, yet as real to them as the day the bombs fell, and they will lift their hand to the one behind you.

Be not afraid; they are confronting their past.

When the story is told, listen with wonder. Do not say you have heard it before - this time may be different. This time may tell the tale, where the knife was in their hand, but the enemies’ eyes were the eyes of another Human, and yet they could not stop, or they would not be here…

you would not be here.

Be not afraid -

when the Hero weeps and holds you, knowing the future is real and the war is over, but it is never over - and then you realise…

I am looking past you to the Man beyond your sight,

to the One who is still here; my Hero in the night;

when the darkness gathers round me

he is leading to the Light…

Be not afraid.

Heroes walk among us.