The Resistance
One of my favorite parts of being a writer is doing the research behind my stories. Often, the story line seems to fall into my lap. Currently writing the middle section of my “Call to Adventure” third novel of the Rose Toffoli trilogy, I began researching the Resistance, specifically in Paris and Lyon. Both cities had an underground movement of French Citizens and collaborators who fought against the Nazi occupation and the cooperating Vichy Regime during World War II from the summer of 1940 into 1945. With help from the ousted government, the group organized and helped downed airplane pilots escape from France back to London, they rescued orphaned children and evacuated Jews while secretly publishing newspapers and providing intelligence to the Allied Forces.
It is an understatement to express how incredibly moving it was to read and listen to ordinary people doing extraordinary things with courage and bravery. It must have been dreadful for those left at home to be occupied while many husbands and fathers were either POW’s or killed during the initial invasion of the north.
If you lived during those times, you might become nostalgic or moved by the memories. If you have survived, please share your stories with the younger generations. We learn so much from history. It keeps it all in perspective and the lessons are best conveyed through stories.
In 2021, most do not know about that time in our history. It makes sense since we were not taught French record in American classrooms. And yet much of our culture, our words, and our gratitude was greatly owed to the French and their king who subsidized America in the 1770’s with armaments and naval support while we fought for our independence from England, our mother country.
Today we celebrate that independence every year in the heat of summer. July 4th. Red. White. Blue.
And maybe, you got stuck on the notion that courage and bravery are synonyms. How could the fighters of the Resistance be both brave and courageous?
The way I see it, courage involves fear while bravery has none. With courage comes a slew of emotions such as passion, love, concern, and/or empathy. Bravery comes with little emotion. Only focus and bravado. If there was one word that kept me digging into why these innocent people would risk their lives, it was relentlessness. Digging deeper it has purpose. It stands for right and wrong no matter the consequences.
The stories from the war made me step back and look at the issues we are dealing with now in 2021. It seems inconsequential compared to being occupied by strangers who took all of your goods, all of your rights, and all of your dignity as your loved ones suffered along with you or were off fighting a war.
In 2021 are issues appear universal. We have climate issues with severe weather getting more extreme each passing year. We have a global pandemic with new variants of the Covid virus showing up with mutated strains. With contrasting reports and misinformation, our best way to cope is to stay healthy, be wise, and deal with it. Our education system was crushed under the pressures of mask mandates and internet schooling. God bless our teachers and school systems. And the parents too for adjusting to a new normal. We have millions of children who lost out on a years’ worth of in-person education who are straining under the changes in their worlds. So many lost their jobs, so many businesses, and soon to be so many homes or rentals.
We have derisiveness in our political parties and constant cyber security hijacks from both the Russians and the Chinese. The ransoms paid by targeted firms, with little government support is baffling. If you get a chance, read about the pipeline ransom, and the famous credit rating agency information leak.
The list can go on and on really. Thankfully, I am putting away my soap box.
The point is that whatever it is that we are dealing with right now, cannot be worse than another country taking over our land and forcing us to live a certain way or wear a star on our coats. We must be relentless in becoming better humans and more healthy citizens. If you think Covid was bad, think again. As bad as it got, it was a huge wake up call. We all need to focus on what is important. Not to diminish all those who died. God bless all the souls that passed. RIP.
Despite that pain and suffering, there were unseen benefits to the entire process.
The number one benefactor was the environment.
Amazing what happens when the entire world comes to a standstill?
That standstill changed us all.
Never have I been so grateful for the checkers at the grocery store. Or the owner of my gym who kept his doors open until the governor said he could not and opened again when he got the go ahead. Grateful for my backyard which allowed me to walk and stretch and sometimes dance when the monotony of being in my house became too much.
Becoming reacquainted with Dr. Joe Dispenza, my favorite for now master, who became my constant companion on my walks and meditations. He met me once in the quantum. No words. No need.
Frankly, I have come out of Covid a better, tougher version of myself.
I feel stronger, more sure, more certain that ever before.
I feel brave. Not courageous like our French forebears who dealt with such cruelty. The fear in my life is gone. My future is coming toward me so quickly, I have to skip through my days with a smile plastered on my face.
Fear of dying?
Fear of getting sick?
Fear of losing someone dear to me?
Check. Check. Check.
I’ve already lost all four grandparents, my parents, three siblings, two close friends, and another friend on Friday.
It never ends, the loss.
Death. Change. Pandemics.
Being brave is so much more. After last year, with so much fear in the air, I am so proud of making it through without getting sick. My ability to stay healthy is within me.
I am that powerful and so are you.
Be sure to take good care of yourself by drinking lots of water, getting deep sleep, and exercising your body with gratitude. Add daily meditations to activate your pineal gland and your autonomic nervous system for optimum health.
Too much? Take it slow. Look up Dr. Joe on Gaia or YouTube.
He’ll explain.
Besides, I got research to do.
Au revoir.
