A rerun of a column I wrote for the Whig on Remembrance Day 2010... Today is a day dedicated to remembrance -- a time we are invited to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by Canadians and others in the name of freedom and peace. As young children, we observed the day with hymns and poems and a presentation of home-made paper wreaths at a solemn ceremony held in the school gym. Our young minds grappled to understand the stark reality of war from the comfort and safety of our suburban neighbourhood. My late mother and aunt often spent the day talking in hushed tones about their brother, killed in battle in Europe when they were all just teenagers. My dad honored Remembrance Day by regaling us with stories of being shipped to distant relatives in the English countryside as bombs were dropped in his home city. But my father-in-law – who has never once spoken to his children about the shrapnel scars that cover his legs – marks the event in stoic silence, unable to share the horror of his memories even 60 years later. Many of us demonstrate remembrance by donning poppies on our lapels or by attending ceremonies. Both are signs of our respect and appreciation for the sacrifices made by those who served. Yet all of these remembrances pale in comparison to an opportunity that we Canadians had last month to show our respect for those who have fought for the oppressed, the downtrodden, and the terrorized in foreign fields around the world. We had a chance to vote in the last federal election. And 40% of us didn’t find the time to do so. The young soldiers who died in service in France, Germany, Korea and, more recently, Afghanistan didn’t give their lives for glory. They sacrificed to protect the rights of those whose peaceful existence was threatened. They served so that we and our fellow world citizens could choose our leaders, have a voice in the running of our countries, and enjoy the right to live and move and speak freely. Poppies are important. Ceremonies are important. Pausing to remember is important. We need to do these things to show that we respect and appreciate those who sacrificed. But exercising our right to vote? There is no better way to show… that we remember.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 23:39:56 +0000
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