Take a moment to remember and be thankful

"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."

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

 

 

I'm not a supporter of war and violence in any sense.  I oppose the war in Iraq, the conflict in Afganistan and well... most other conflicts.  It may be impossible, but despite all I know and despite how the world is, I still wish for a world free of war and injustice.  I feel that a lot of the fighting that happens is due to certain power-hungry entities manipulating the system and the people like puppets for profit. I believe that the "higher ups" in this world are inconsiderate, profiteering and ruthless, and the soldiers, the regular people and those long gone are paying the price for their greed.   And sadly, I also believe this may never change, despite my overly-optimistic wishes on the matter.

 

That said, I AM a supporter of our soldiers, past, present and future, who do what's necessary, what's difficult... what's inhuman, in order to preserve this semblance or stability we have here.  Those who give up their bodies, their safety, their sanity, and sometimes lives for their country, for us.  While I deeply regret that they must exist and hope, perhaps naively, for nothing else but that the need for soldiers and war would be abolished, I am deeply grateful for the work that these men and women do at unfathomable costs.

 

All of this dramatic-yet-sincere monologuing aside, Remembrance Day (or Memorial/Veterans Day in the States) for me always strikes a chord, because both my grandfather and great-grandfather neither of whom I met, fought in the wars of the century gone by to keep their families safe.  My father and my family carry a great sense of gratitude and pride for that. Another, sadder facet is the Canadian death toll for soldiers in Afganistan this year, which seems to be ever-growing.  Almost every week on the radio, you hear of some other young person losing their lives in more and more unthinkably gruesome ways. This saddens me a great deal, because  Remembrance Day this year is unfortunately not just about past conflicts.  This year, and for a few more years to come I fear, we also remember those who passed far too recently in conflicts far too senseless.

 

So for those still alive and those who've come home safe, and for those yet to go over, take a minute today to thank them for their work and dedication.

 

Not to be overly preachy... but if a hippie like me can appreciate that, so can you.