“There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo,
and it’s worth fighting for.”
J.R.R. Tolkien
“I indicated a fortnight ago as clearly as I could to the House that the worst possibilities were open,
and I made it perfectly clear then that whatever happened in France would make no difference to the resolve of Britain and the British Empire to fight on,
if necessary for years, if necessary alone.”
Prime Minster Winston Churchill addressing the House of Commons / June 4, 1940
(Winston Spencer Churchill)
Sometimes the most unlikely individuals step into the crosshairs of history…
and when they do— we and the world are never the same.
Winston Spencer Churchill was just such an individual.
He was an unlikely candidate to ever be immortalized by anyone–
be it on the stage of his home nation or the stage of greater world at large.
And large he was—large in personality, determination, resolve and grit.
The type of leadership one seeks when finding oneself in the clutches of
a menacing death grip.
Yet he was actually greatly despised by many—by his fellow MPs as well as by a
few world leaders….both Hitler and Stalin to name but a few.
He was often brusk—often lacking the more refined social filters.
He suffered from a life long speech impediment.
He had performed poorly in school, often disappointing his famous father.
He was considered arrogant.
He was half American…a black eye in British aristocracy.
He came across as pompous, a braggart and a loud mouth.
He both drank and smoked entirely too much for most of the more genteel of company.
He loved to talk…most often in excess…and most often about self….
He was thoughtless with his finances, teetering constantly on ruin.
He was often selfish and self-centered and a poor keeper of time,
his as well as others.
And yet he was brilliant.
He was tenacious.
He had humor and he had heart.
He was a visionary who both clearly saw and deeply understood…
And he was a man accused of war mongering by those who I suspect would not
have minded living under the dictatorships of tyranny.
He was a wordsmith….
Gifted with both the written and spoken word….an orator for the ages, Churchill
used both to his keen advantage to rouse a frightened, sagging and crestfallen
nation.
He was shrewd and calculating,
despite being considered often half cocked and ridiculously unreasonable.
And he was the the single undetered force that stood between democracy and death
when no one else was left standing or when those who were still standing, stood quiet.
I saw a trailer for a movie—
a movie for which I’ve not seen any advertisement over….
No commercials, no billboards, no star studded endorsements…..
No hype nor hoopla of which is afforded to those other movies boasting of
fantasy, fiction or filth….
It is a movie that is actually already out in theaters as I also suspect having long
left others.
It is a true story.
A real story.
A story of courage in the face of what appeared to be unavoidable demise.
It is a movie about a man who many know by name only…as that is all they know.
This current generation, so lulled by the complacency of materialism and of the
falsely perceived angst over matters of little to no consequence, have no idea
the gratitude they actually owe this enigma of a man.
Yet this man, who this movie portrays during a particular dark period in time,
is the very man who sacrificed everything within his power just so that you and I
today could enjoy the comforts of our lives….
Theses are a few links to previous posts I’ve offered on behalf of
this legend of a man…..
What he knew and others chose to ignore. Déjà vu or simply a continuum?
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