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It’s Personal in France

The morning sun, filtered through trees, cast a soft light on the flat stones, each marking the graves of two soldiers killed in fighting in Normandy during World War II. Rows of five Latin crosses, representing an officer and his men, stand watch.

The large trees are scattered throughout the manicured cemetery, designed to blend with the natural surroundings.

A narrow opening in a stone wall leading to the cemetery, through which only one person can pass at a time, symbolizes the individuality of death.

The cemetery, one of six in Normandy where German soldiers are buried, was our first stop one morning. Although there were many dedicated Nazi soldiers among the dead, there were also many young and old men with family and friends involuntarily caught up in the chaos.

The morning light and serene setting provided a moment of reflection about the deadly costs of war.