Remembrance Day
I have not experienced war, my children have not exerienced war. Those who came before us fought so we would have peace and security and freedom. How fortunate we Canadians are in 2015.
As a child in Quebec, we , as Brownies, Guides and and then Rangers, marched every November 11th to our Cenotaph and stood in all kinds of weather for a Remembrance Day ceremony . I remember always watching the soldiers at the Cenotaph; they never moved. Their hands would be raw red and their noses dripping; but they never moved. How easy it is for us to stand still for 2 minutes compared to the horrendous conditions our armed forces, indeed the all our allied forces, endured.
My father in law was born in 1915, on November 11th. In Flanders' Fields is also 100 years old today. Our school choir does the most haunting, beautiful rendition of the poem. There are many versions of the song, but the one they do is my favourite and always makes me cry. Our schools do a tremendous job of teaching the young about the reason for Remembrance Day, the sacrifices of the young men and women, and yes even the horrors of war depending on their ages. Yesterday was definitely the best we have had in 26 years. The students were silent, both entering the gym and leaving. There was no talking or clapping. Some years there had been spontaneous clapping after some of the music selections by our award winning choir. This year, there was silence.
My YGS is in Kindergarden and they had a visit from a child's father who happens to be a soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces.He spoke to the children at their level. My five year old knows why we wear a poppy and what the soldiers sacrificed. He also told me, oh so proudly, how he sat cross legged on the floor and kept silent, being very impressed with the Colour party.
They shall not grow old
As we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them
nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them
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