Lightning From Above. . .

Nearly every village in France has a monument to commemorate the men from the town who perished in World War One. Some are more interesting visually than others, though all bear a sobering message from the not so distant past. This one in Fresnes-sur-Apance, photographed this very afternoon, had a particulary captivating sculpture on top of it. Although I was wondering how often it may have served as a lightning rod. . . holding aloft bronze laurels in a thunderstorm may not be such a good idea. . . And how many millions of men were struck down as if by lightning during those awful years ?

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Even today there are signs visible to warn us that lightning from above may strike without warning at any time . . . we may think that life is stable and safe and secure when suddenly, from out of the blue, lightning bolts blow it all down. If we are lucky enough to survive the initial blast, then we may start down the long road of picking up the pieces. Both of these images reminded me strongly of Robert Capa's famous photo from the Spanish Civil War. . . the things we do to each other . . . (and if you're wondering, this is a real sign, photographed this morning on an electrical transformer in Bourbonne les Bains, France)

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