From the lakes, from the hills, from the skies

There are no words beautiful enough to describe the Remembrance Service in Troon on this Sunday.

The Cenotaph is sited on the shore front and Britannia, for I believe it is she, Looks out over the Clyde to the Lady Isle, the Heads of Ayr, Arran, and Beyond.

Today the air was clear, and the Lady Isle , which sits 7 miles off the coast, looked close enough to touch. Holy Isle sat blessed in front of a snow capped Arran . The water was still , in quiet respect and the sky, and the clouds, and the rocks, and the houses were reflected in it's silence.

The groups met at the Primary school in the Town. The Boys Brigade Pipe Band leading the march, followed by the Army Cadets, the British Legion, The Red Cross, The Beavers, the Cubs, the Scouts and the Explorers, Boys Brigade and Guides.

They marched through the town to the beach, and took their places in front of Britannia, backs to the sea.

I walked down to the waters edge, the tide was far out, so I was a fair distance from them all. I watched as people moved towards the Cenotaph from both ends of the beach, and rose from the town to gather with everyone else.

As I looked out to sea, I heard their voices rise up in song, and was amazed that their voices could carry so clearly, and so tunefully.

As I walked away from them, to view from a distance, the trumpet sounded the Last Post. Everyone, without fail on the beach stood still. Everyone turned to the Statue.

For two minutes the world around me stood still, and I stood for that moment in remembrance of all the people who have died, and went bravely to face danger so that we are able to gather there, in public on the beach and say thank you.