Thought For The Day – Friday 6^th June 2025

Thinking Of Others.

On her final day at the School, we very greatly Mrs. Crocker for all Mrs. Crocker has done for T.B.S.H.S., showing the “The Black and Gold Spirit” always. See: https://tbshs.org/thought-for-the-day-friday-23rd-may-2025-a-sprint-in-a-marathon/

Today, is a very important and poignant day for so many people of all generations around the world.

In the “busy-ness” of our lives in the present, and in our hopes, and plans, for the future, we must never, ever forget, always learning from, and paying our debt to, the past.

In a focus on ourselves, we must never, ever forget to think of, and act for and empathise with, others. We are inspired by selflessness.

The values of: commitment; aspiration; respect; integrity; and community are seen in many places. They are timeless values beyond any one people, place or time.

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This year, commencing this evening, and concluding on Sunday or Monday, depending on the sighting of the moon, Muslims will celebrate the Festival of Eid ul-Adha.

These celebrations will involve: giving thanks to Allah; prayers; reading the Qur’an; family gatherings; Mosque visits; charity; presents; and cards.

This very important occasion marks the close of the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (the Hajj), and remembers the Example of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), “friend of God” according to the Qur’an, who stood up, and was willing to sacrifice, for Allah and goodness. Prophet Ibrahim was caring, kind, loyal and resilient. He was a person of very deep integrity.

Islam means Peace, gained through Allah.

At this very sacred time, Muslims also remember relatives who have passed away.

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Every year, on the 6^th June, “D-Day” of 1944 is remembered. This was an absolutely vital moment in the Second World War against Nazi fascism.

After miniscule planning for months, including with the soil, moon and tides, and distraction tactics, and using the latest technology with the “codebreakers” (including Alan Turing) at Bletchley Park, 156,000 troops landed in Normandy, Northern France. These beyond courageous citizens came from: the United Kingdom; the United States of America; Canada; France; Australia; Belgium; the Netherlands; Greece; New Zealand; Norway; Poland; and countries known now as: The Czech Republic; Slovakia; and Zimbabwe. So very many would not return home, in this life, that day or any day. Within 11 months, the evil beyond words of Nazism would be defeated.

In paying tribute to this generation who sacrificed everything, we think of the many invisible children, young people and adults, generations born and so many generations who were never born, who did not receive the opportunities we enjoy today.

In the second picture below, a tearful “D-Day” veteran, Don Turrell, visits the graves of his friends who did not come home. The picture above, and the second and third picture below, by Jonathan Buckmaster. The first picture, below, is of D-Day, taken at the time by Robert F. Sargent, CPhoM, USCG.