Red Poppies and Golden Roses

Post by Jenny Dent

I have just been driving along a road where every lamp post has a large red poppy hanging on it! It is a very evocative symbol, which truly touches the heart. Just seeing it brings up memories and thoughts of the terrible suffering of war, the millions who have died, and the sorrow of bereaved families.

Looking back on history, the story of the First World War is particularly poignant and has a link with our White Eagle Lodge history, as that was the time when Grace Cooke was beginning her lifetime work of bringing comfort to so many who had lost husbands, sons and relatives in the war.

I have just been reading Robert Harris’ latest book, ‘Precipice’, lent to me by my son. He said, ‘Mum, you should read this’, so I did. The book is about the UK Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, in the days leading up to the war. And the decisions which led to the death of millions of young men, who voluntarily signed up to fight. It also gives a graphic picture of the class divisions in those days and helps me realise that some progress towards our ideals of brotherhood has been made in the last hundred years or so!

A line of red poppies on the right with a sunset on the left

Image by Laurentiu Iordache

No one realised then the horrors of trench warfare and what lay ahead. The hope was that it would be ‘the war to end all wars’, but of course it wasn`t. There were even worse things to follow with the rise of the Nazi regime. Revenge and more bloodshed are never the answer, and this is where the symbol of the golden rose is so powerful.

In many of his talks through Grace Cooke at Remembrance time, White Eagle has offered this as a symbol of love and forgiveness. When the human heart is touched and opened, and this often does happen through suffering, forgiveness can follow, and the light within can radiate out, melting away thoughts of anger and revenge. And the fragrant golden rose of love can bring magical comfort to the sad and anguished heart.

In ‘The Little Book of Comfort for the Bereaved’, White Eagle says:

‘When you see violence and what appears to be the most terrible suffering, brought about by the ignorance and selfishness of humankind, do remember the mercy of God and the power of God! The soul that is apparently leaving a tortured body is mercifully cloaked by a divine power. Inside it is filled with indescribable joy and surprise: ‘Oh this is wonderful, this is beautiful, where am I?’ And the friend by his or her side will answer: ‘You are with friends; we have so much of interest to show you.’ ‘Make no mistake about it, every soul who comes over to our life is befriended.'