The Queens Christmas Broadcast
Marcella
The following is the full text of the Queen's 1998 Christmas Broadcast:
"Christmas is a time for reflection and renewal. For Christians the
year's end has a special and familiar significance, but all faiths have
their calendars, their signposts, which ask us to pause from time to
time and think further than the hectic daily round. We do that as
individuals, with our families, and as members of our local communities.
"It is not always easy for those in their teens or twenties to believe
that someone of my age - of the older generation - might have something
useful to say to them. But I would say that my mother has much to say to
me. Indeed, her vigour and enjoyment of life is a great example of how
to close the so-called generation gap. She has an extraordinary capacity
to bring happiness into other people's lives. And her own vitality and
warmth is returned to her by those whom she meets.
"But there are many of my mother's generation still with us. They can
remember the First World War. Prince Philip and I can recall only the
Second. I know that those memories of ours define us as old, but they
are shared with millions of others, in Britain and the Commonwealth,
people who often feel forgotten by the march of time. They remember
struggles unknown to young people today, and which they will not forget.
Nor should their countries forget them. And in recent days we have had
another reminder of the courage and dedication shown so often round the
world by our armed forces in the cause of peace.
"Memories such as these are a consequence of age, and not a virtue in
themselves. But with age does come experience, and that can be a virtue
if it is sensibly used. Though we each lead different lives, the
experience of growing older, and the joys and emotions which it brings,
are familiar to us all. It is hard to believe that a half century has
passed since our son Charles was christened, and now, last month, he has
celebrated his 50th birthday. It was a moment of great happiness and
pride on our part in all he has achieved during the last three decades.
"As a daughter, a mother and a grandmother, I often find myself seeking
advice, or being asked for it, in all three capacities. No age group has
a monopoly of wisdom, and indeed I think the young can sometimes be
wiser than us. But the older I get, the more conscious I become of the
difficulties young people have to face as they learn to live in the
modern world. We parents and grandparents must learn to trust our
children and grandchildren as they seize their opportunities, but we
can, at the same time, caution and comfort if things go wrong, or guide
and explain if we are needed.
"My own grandchildren and their generation have a remarkable grasp of
modern technology. They are lucky to have the freedom to travel and
learn about foreign cultures at an age when the appetite for learning is
keen. I see them pushing out the boundaries of science, sport and music,
of drama and discovery.
"Last June Prince Philip and I gave a party for 900 of Britain's Young
Achievers. Buckingham Palace was brimming with young people who, in
their short lives, have already set an example to us all. They are
living proof that the timeless virtues of honesty, integrity, initiative
and compassion are just as important as they have ever been.
"We hear much of `public life' - the hurly-burly of Parliament, the
media, big business, city life. But for most people their contribution,
at whatever age, is made quietly through their local communities just
like so many of those Young Achievers. To most of them, service is its
own reward. Their `public life' is their church, their school, their
sports club, their local council.
"My work, and the work of my family, takes us every week into that quiet
sort of `public life', where millions of people give their time, unpaid
and usually unsung, to the community, and indeed to those most at risk
of exclusion from it. We see these volunteers at work in organisations
such as the Scouts and Guides, the Cadet Force, the Red Cross and St
John's, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and the Prince's Trust.
"These organisations, and those who serve them so selflessly, provide
the bridges across which the generations travel, meet and learn from one
another. They give us, with our families, our sense of belonging. It is
they that help define our sense of duty. It is they that can make us
strong as individuals, and keep the nation's heartbeat strong and steady
too. Christmas is a good time for us to recognise all that they do for
us and to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of them.
"Happy Christmas to you all."
jim
saying!
Same old boring nonsense........
Marcella wrote in message <36843A77...@earthlink.net>...
cho...@hotmail.com
"jim" <j...@t1001.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> Yawn...... Most people were not in the least interested in what she was
> saying!
You evidently were, jim, since you took the trouble to comment!!
Nick
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Shea130
>saying!
I thought that the section where Queen Elizabeth said, "No age group has a
monoploy of widom, and indeed I think the young can sometimes be wiser than us.
. . . We parents and grandparents must learn to trust our children and
grandchildren as they seize their opportunities, . . . ." is interesting.
Although I am aware that she has said that she will not abdicate in favor of
her son, it does give one pause when considering Charles's role. I certainly
don't think that she is hinting that she is abdicating, but I do believe that
she is signaling an increased public role for her son. I noticed when I
checked her appointment diary she has very little scheduled (comparatively)
until April. I wonder if that means that we will be seeing more of Charles? I
hope so.
jim
cho...@hotmail.com wrote in message <769dtt$l6k$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...>> Yawn...... Most people were not in the least interested in what she was
>> saying!
>
>You evidently were, jim, since you took the trouble to comment!!
>
>Nick
>
>-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
>http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
I take the opposing view in case you had not noticed Nick.In order to
comment I watched the speech in order to find out for myself how dreary it
was.This is called"having another opinion"!
I expect however that if the Queen asked you to throw yourself off a cliff
you would do it just because she is the Queen.
Nick
>
>cho...@hotmail.com wrote in message <769dtt$l6k$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
>>In article <914875275.8729.0...@news.demon.co.uk>,
>> "jim" <j...@t1001.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>> Yawn...... Most people were not in the least interested in what she was
>>> saying!
>>
>>You evidently were, jim, since you took the trouble to comment!!
>>
>>Nick
>>
>>-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
>>http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
>
>I take the opposing view in case you had not noticed Nick.In order to
>comment I watched the speech in order to find out for myself how dreary it
>was.This is called"having another opinion"!
Wrong. You already knew exactly what you would write. Proof: "in order to find
out how dreary it was". How did you know it would be dreary until you watched
it?
>I expect however that if the Queen asked you to throw yourself off a cliff
>you would do it just because she is the Queen.
The Queen, being who she is, would never ask any of her subjects to do this so
the matter is moot.
Nick
jim
Nick wrote in message <36892662...@news.mnsi.net>...
>On Tue, 29 Dec 1998 18:38:31 -0000, "jim" <j...@t1001.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>
>>cho...@hotmail.com wrote in message <769dtt$l6k$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
>>>In article <914875275.8729.0...@news.demon.co.uk>,
>>> "jim" <j...@t1001.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> Yawn...... Most people were not in the least interested in what she was
>>>> saying!
>>>
>>>You evidently were, jim, since you took the trouble to comment!!
>>>
>>>Nick
>>>
>>>-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
>>>http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
>>
>>I take the opposing view in case you had not noticed Nick.In order to
>>comment I watched the speech in order to find out for myself how dreary it
>>was.This is called"having another opinion"!
>
>Wrong. You already knew exactly what you would write. Proof: "in order to
find
>out how dreary it was". How did you know it would be dreary until you
watched
>it?
I watched it like I said, Dummy!
>
>>I expect however that if the Queen asked you to throw yourself off a cliff
>>you would do it just because she is the Queen.
>
>The Queen, being who she is, would never ask any of her subjects to do this
so
>the matter is moot.
>
>Nick
Pompous git!