“D” Day – 70 years later

In my day job as software engineer, I constantly tote around a notebook. I write my daily notes on one sheet and leave its facing page for additional notes or later discoveries to be noted adjacent to the date. As I feel led by a significant moment, sometimes, I doodle out a simple sketch on a facing page. Today I could not help but think of the intense cost my physical freedom, and the freedom of hundreds of millions around the globe, involved.

Operation Overlord is but one of these events but it is significant in my mind’s eye thanks to the old Life magazine photos and newsreels I consumed in my youth. What courage it took to hop out of a landing craft knowing that a hail of bullets were marching towards you! Many gave their lives to conquer a beachhead, to gain a toehold on continental Nazi-occupied Europe. Yet their sacrifice was not in vain. Many laid down their lives so their neighbors, brothers, and friends would not have to go to that God-forsaken place and to suffer their fate.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13 NKJV) There is not much more that we should do than to say “thank you” to these brave people and to honor their memory in all that we say and do.

About claforet

I have been photographing since my college days. My current gear is a Nikon D-700 along with a plethora of lenses. My first serious camera was a Canon EF back in the early 80s. A Canon A-1 soon followed. Since then, I also have had a Minolta Maxxum, Nikon FM, Nikon F4, and Nikon Point and Shoot in my film days. I have had and maintained a private full color and B&W lab on and off for much of that time. My photos can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/claforet/ Photography and painting are my "sanity breaks" that save me from my day-to-day software development existence! I host a group in Facebook called "Painting as a Second Language" for anyone who is interested in painting as an outlet for the day-to-day pressures. Please look it up and join if you think it will meet your needs. Recently, I have also branched into the video world and am learning how to shoot video better and how to edit compelling video sequences. My learning experiences will be part of this blog and my videos can be seen at http://www.vimeo.com/claforet I live in, and photograph mostly around, North Carolina. I love traveling so there are many shots from states around us, out West, and other places. My daughter has been bitten by the photography bug too. She has spent time in a B&W lab and loves the excitement generated by just the smell of the chemicals. Maybe one day she will take over where I leave off....

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