Remembrance Day

In Canada, November 11th is called Remembrance Day. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th Month, we shall gather to remember the brave young men [and women] who have laid down their lives so that we may live in peace and freedom... I'm pretty sure that's how it goes. I generally recall all the towns folk quietly gathering around the cenitaf down at Memorial Gardens. The old WWI fellows at the front, the WWII men in behind, men and women from the local Armed Forces base in behind them...

I remember the days leading up to remembrance day at grade school. There'd usually be an assembly, which meant there was a play to practice for. The plays would usually include a bunch of us boys with toy guns storming some card board cut out bridge, ending with someone playing the dead guy in the crying guys arms. Cue the poorly played bugler...

War never touched my family. My grandfather was too old for WWI and too old for WWII. My dad was too young for WWII and the Korean War, and well, they never sent Canadian troops to Vietnam. He did serve, and is rightfully proud of his service as an UN peace keeper in Cyprus, in the Golan heights and in Lebanon in the 60's. I don't think he ever fired his weapon in battle.

Me, I was never lead to follow my old man into the army and grew up a spoiled little peacenik wannabee. Luckily, I shook a lot of that off and have come to the realization, or perhaps, my own conclusion, that yes we do have to fight these wars. Unfortunately we do have to send young men and women into danger. AND thank frikin' goodness there are usually enough of them to stand up and say, OK.

I don't like remembrance Day. I don't like the fact that these people have had to die so early in their lives. Contrary to what may be popular belief amoungst my friends and family, I don't like war. I was lucky, I was never forced to go to war, AND even if I had joined the army, my stint would have been pretty much peaceful.

For those who haven't been so lucky, and for those who have stepped up to the plate. Hey, thanks, honestly... Thanks!

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- John McCrae