Forgiveness

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives...you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us, where they lie, side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well."

- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Many things went through my mind when I first saw these words. I was in Turkey on the Gallipoli peninsula and it was the day before Anzac Day.

Mustafa Ataturk was the leader of Turkey from 1923 to 1938 and is the founder of modern Turkey. He wrote these words in 1934 as a tribute to those who lost their lives at Gallipoli.

The reason I find these words so profound is that we (the British, New Zealand and Australia) invaded their country. They were no where near us, yet to gain a tactical advantage we invaded their land and forced them to fight.

Ataturk recognised the sacrifice of the men of both sides, and the impact that their deaths had had on their families.

He told their mother’s not to worry, that their son’s were safe and would be taken care of.

He forgave the invading forces, and recognised that we are no different from each other.

When I went to Turkey I was expecting...something. Unfriendliness, resentment, anger maybe? But there wasn’t any. The Turks welcomed us with open arms, and made sure we felt wanted in their country.

They had forgiven us.

I for one think that this is awesome. I like the idea that Anzac Day can be used both to remember those who fought and died, but also to forgive the events that we remember.

Humanity is never so beautiful as when praying for forgiveness, or else forgiving another. --Jean Paul Richter