Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Eighth of May, Victory Day

Annieshand_2

France celebrates the end of World War II on the 8th of May.

Thirteen years ago, when we first arrived in the French village that we now live in, an elderly woman came to our door. She introduced herself as Annie and said to me:

"When the Americans came and liberated us years ago, I never knew any of them to say thank you. I heard you are an American, and since you are the only American I have ever met, I want to say thank you to you for your country’s helping us."

It is never too late to say thank you…the symbolic gesture of extending kindness.

Photo: Annie and I have remained good friends. We went to Lourdes together. The photo above is Annie’s hand holding water from the source of Lourdes.

Comments

67 responses to “Eighth of May, Victory Day”

  1. herhimnbryn

    Oh my dear Corey,
    This moved me to tears!
    Her hand is so very beautiful. I can imagine it holding, working, carresing, making bread, digging, planting touching.

    Reply
  2. carolyn

    What a wonderful story, what a wonderful woman and what a wonderful friendship.

    Reply
  3. tea

    How wonderful! And I love the picture of her hand.
    tea
    xo

    Reply
  4. Terri Pollhein

    What a wonderful story! Thanks for making my day.
    God bless.
    Terri

    Reply
  5. Terri Pollhein

    What a wonderful story! Thanks for making my day.
    God bless.
    Terri

    Reply
  6. susan

    truer words have never been spoken!

    Reply
  7. MyMelange

    Such a sweet, heartwarming story!

    Reply
  8. Shannon

    How kind and thoughtful of her 🙂

    Reply
  9. constance

    You and Annie are very lucky to have one anothers friendship!

    Reply
  10. Pat Spiller

    Corey, you have a wonderful way of telling so poignant a story in so few words. Thank you!

    Reply
  11. shabbyinthecity

    Sweet photojournalism 🙂

    Reply
  12. berrie

    IT is NEVER TOO LATE! NEVER EVER! 🙂 Love this bit! xo

    Reply
  13. melly

    How sweet……

    Reply
  14. Regina Clare Jane

    My uncle died in France during the first landings… this was such a nice story to hear for me… and for him. Thank you, Corey, for always being such a beauteous spirit…

    Reply
  15. Carol

    Awe Corey this is so sweet! Annie must be a gorgeous person!
    *Sigh* I feel so bad sometimes just for being born as a German girl although I feel more like a European woman now and thank God I haven’t lived at the time! I too am more than thankful that the American’s came to save Europe from the cruel Nazis!
    Carol xox

    Reply
  16. PresentPast Collection

    So beautiful and touching. Thank you for another post that touches our hearts across an ocean.

    Reply
  17. susanna

    Oh, what a beautiful story, Corey.

    Reply
  18. T Sheeley

    That is so sweet Corey! And it is never too late to say thanks!! I love all the history of France you share!
    Teresa

    Reply
  19. sheila

    It is never too late to show gratitude. That Annie sought you out to offer thanks says a lot about her.
    Her hand is beautiful, I’m glad she shared the trip to Lourdes with you.

    Reply
  20. naturegirl

    I’m sure yours is a special friendship with Annie.
    Thank you for your thought provoking posts. hugs NG

    Reply
  21. Cre8Tiva

    Corey: Again I find such peacefulness in your words. I am going to paint Annie’s hand. I am fascinated by hands. I love to photograph artist’s hands at work. I have a whole collection that I want to paint someday. I am writing my French friends to wish them peaceful 8th of May.

    Reply
  22. Lynda

    That is such a sweet and touching story! It’s even sweeter that you became close friends. I love the photo of Annie’s hand with the water. I was tagged to reveal 7 things about me and I’ve tagged you in return ~ I hope you don’t mind. ♥

    Reply
  23. clarice

    Dear Corey, this brought tears. Thank you for sharing. Clarice

    Reply
  24. Ulla

    You never fail to show and bring out the best of humanity… Blessings to you…

    Reply
  25. Lana

    How touching! ~ and what a wonderful friend you have in Annie. Thank you for sharing that with us.
    Lana

    Reply
  26. martina

    And thank you to the people of France for fighting alongside the Americans and being our allies during WWII and WWI. We won! Beautiful photo and story Corey.

    Reply
  27. Star

    It’s never too late for expressing our thanks, our gratitude, our love. What a beautiful thing for Annie to do.

    Reply
  28. Dawn

    Very sweet story..
    You are right…it is never too late to say thank you.
    Thank you, Corey, for that reminder.
    xo

    Reply
  29. amber

    COREY!! You just made me cry! It is too early to cry, and I have a stuffy nose. Stinker! 😉
    I was thinking along the same lines today… Great minds, huh?
    🙂

    Reply
  30. cally

    what a beautiful way to begin a friendship. wonderful that you went to Lourdes with her, and with wishes for others, you are so generous and caring.

    Reply
  31. Mary from Maryland

    What a beautiful post. Just beautiful!

    Reply
  32. AnnieElf

    Magnificant Corey. Annie’s hands are beautiful. The glow of the water miraculous.

    Reply
  33. Elaine

    What a lovely story, Corey. I read it to my Marshall and he cried. Annie sounds like a beautiful friend.

    Reply
  34. cruststation

    What a lovely thing to do, a sweet gesture, breaking barriers and extending friendship. You have amazing inspirational friends.

    Reply
  35. stephanie

    absolutely brought tears to my eyes…

    Reply
  36. Britt-Arnhild

    It is a blessing to have old aged people as ones friends. Annie sounds like a wonderful neighbour.
    In our neighbour house there lives two ladies, mother and daughter. The daughter is my age (on her way to turn half a century), the mother will be 75. She is a great gardener, and I am lucky to learn from her almost every day.
    “The beauty of my body is not measured by the size of the clothes it can fit into but the stories that it tells. I have a belly and hips that say – we grew a child in here, and breasts that say – we nourished life. My hands, with bitten nails and a writer’s callous say – we created many things” (unknown)

    Reply
  37. Cath

    It is a very nice message.
    It’s true ” it’s never too late to say thank-you “.
    We do not never forget.
    This afternoon I talk with my father to this period.
    At this time he was 11 years old.
    It’s good to listen the old generation.
    Thank you

    Reply
  38. Massilianana

    Dear Corey ,
    You know what ? I feel the same way than Annie did and I am much younger than her . Only I’ve been told so many stories in my family about WWII (and WWI)that I grew ever so fond of Americans and felt the same gratitude than my grand parents did .So , here’s my thank you . Merci . You are a great people .

    Reply
  39. ally bean

    Isn’t that amazing? Such a sweet and sincere way to begin a friendship. Just lovely.

    Reply
  40. Em

    beautiful, reaffirming story. true story. needed that today.

    Reply
  41. Miz Booshay

    sniffling here too…
    Corey, you and Annie have touched my heart.
    Especially the friendship that grew out of a spirit of thankfulness.
    Beautiful.

    Reply
  42. tinker

    What a beautiful post and photo~ I’m grateful to read it. Thank you.

    Reply
  43. patpaulk

    And I thought the French didn’t like us. What a beautiful hand.

    Reply
  44. BOSSY

    That is one beautiful hand – and Bossy wants to grow a few age spots just to honor her.
    Also: Bossy just adores cross-generational friendships. It’s the stuff of life.

    Reply
  45. Marge

    I don’t usually post here, but I read your blog pretty much always. This was just so heart-warming. It moved me to tears.Thank you for posting this and thank you for your wonderful writings.

    Reply
  46. martina

    When I was on a PanAm tour of Paris years ago one of the other tourists another American lady about 75 years old She rarely spoke to the others during the tour. We were on the bus touring Paris. The statue of General Foch came within site and the guide explained what a great hero he was in WWI. The old lady muttered under her breath “General Foch” in a very adored and respectful way and you could tell that she remembered from childhood how he had helped win “the Great War”

    Reply
  47. AJ

    What a wonderful woman. You are right, it’s never too late to say thank you.
    I thought you’d like to know, too, that I signed up take French 1 at the local college. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to France any time soon, but just in case! 🙂

    Reply
  48. beachy

    This story just sent chills through my spine… but warm, lovely chills! =)

    Reply
  49. Gypsy Purple–Chamara

    What an amazing gesture….and two such important words…

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  50. tommiea

    what a kind woman….

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  51. Julie

    🙂

    Reply
  52. Colette

    Un moment de tendresse…
    xoxoxo
    Colette

    Reply
  53. Mlle Smith

    How beautiful and poignant…something so simple. As a former soldier, that gesture would have seriously reduced me to tears. That’s just so touching.

    Reply
  54. Lei

    what a beautiful story! thanks you for sharing, as always.

    Reply
  55. ~jolenemarie

    …and little did she know that 13 years later her words would touch the hearts of so many around the world…
    …please tell Annie I am honored to hear her story.

    Reply
  56. Marie-Noëlle

    Have you got one of those rose petals left, Corey?
    If you have, please write “Annie” on it, thank you.
    Take great care of this fabulous and beautiful friend !

    Reply
  57. JanePoe (aka Deborah)

    Corey … so lovely, this moment captured in a photograph and a post. Merci, JP

    Reply
  58. Nora

    Merci, Corey. x

    Reply
  59. La Flor

    there can hardly be anything worse than war and more fragile than peace.
    and it is truly never too late to say thank you.

    Reply
  60. Violette

    It’s never too late …
    and let’s never forget.
    Merci du fond du coeur.

    Reply
  61. mikaelah

    What a beautiful story of saying thank you … I was surprised to see you take your tea with sugar! I do it too… only honey. I habit I love.

    Reply
  62. laura

    oh my goodness – what a lovely story.

    Reply
  63. pusa

    beautiful story! i’m sure annie is a very wonderful lady

    Reply
  64. Anastasia

    how wonderful!! totaly agree its never to late…i use that phrase for a lot of things in my life!

    Reply
  65. Paris Parfait

    What a beautiful story! I’ve been fortunate to meet many French people with tremendous generosity of spirit and who remember and acknowledge our shared history – after all, the French helped us out in the war against the British!

    Reply
  66. Deb Lewis

    Never too late… a few years ago my brother and I were having dinner in Paris and were talking about our father, who had landed on Omaha Beach on D day. A French family was seated next to us and were obviously listening to our conversation. The father hesitantly interupted us and told us he wanted us to thank our father for what he had done for France 50 years ago. I was so incredibly touched- a moment forever bound in my heart.

    Reply
  67. Lori Witzel

    Well. That photo, and the story, sure felt healing to my chapped soul. Thanks for a lovely moment of replenishment…

    Reply

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