Today is a provincial holiday in Nova Scotia -- Heritage Day. The goal for each year honours a person, place or group. Past honourees include Viola Desmond, Joseph Howe and the Mi'kmaq culture. This year we remember a woman from the Annapolis Valley, Mona Parsons. She trained as an actress and later as a nurse. She married and moved to the Netherlands just before the start of World War II. Once the occupation by Germany began, she became part of a local resistance movement. She helped allied airman evade capture by Nazi forces, even hiding them in her own home. An informant led to her arrest by the Gestapo. At a trial before a military tribunal, she was sentenced to death. Parsons responded with such dignity she was afforded an appeal of the sentence, which changed to life in prison with hard labour. She was the only Canadian civilian woman to be imprisoned by the Nazi regime. For about four years she was shuttled between prisons often working while unwell and undernourished. She escaped near the end of the war, walking for three weeks through the countryside much of the journey without shoes, before arriving at a camp of Nova Scotia Highlanders. After the war Parsons received commendations from the British Air Force and US President Eisenhower. Today we recall her bravery, dignity and desire to fight for freedom. A true hero.
It is difficult to understand what she must have gone through during her imprisonment. To survive though, she must have had amazing strength to work to survive through all the adversity. To walk about 125 km after escaping took perseverance. One song came to mind for the topic today. It is by a British singer. The lyrics discuss a way to continue to move forward in less than positive times. The melody is lovely and the voice strong and encouraging. Enjoy!
It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow -- Vera Lynn
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