We Will Remember Them

At the 11th hour,
           of the 11th day, 
                   of the 11th month...

We will remember them. 

We Will Remember Them

photo from the Canadian Legion 63

Every year my elementary school, like others across Canada, held a special assembly to commemorate Remembrance Day. The year I was in Grade 7, I was selected to read the poem In Flanders Fields, to the students, teachers and parents who attended. 

I remember telling the teacher that I could recite it by memory because of its familiarity over the years. However, it was decided that there was more gravitas to reading than reciting. It's a poem that has stayed with me through the years, and one that I recite to myself on Remembrance Day, to honour those who have fallen for the sake of freedom. We in Canada wear poppies, provided by the Canadian Legion, as a sign of remembrance.

We will remember them.

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Lest We Forget

 I had thought of not posting today, just quietly remembering. There is nothing new to say about this day of Remembrance of those who have fallen in defense of the freedoms I now enjoy. But upon reflection, reminders are a way of keeping the faith, of testifying to the gratitude I feel. 

And so, I'm reposting this from last year.

In 1976 I spent the summer in Belgium. I frequently wore a red zip-up hoodie with a Canadian flag on the sleeve. Frequently while traveling the countryside people stopped me to comment on my flag. Older and middle-aged people bore in their faces some of life's hard times. They looked at my flag and without fail said, "We remember the Canadians - they liberated us." 

Those who lived with war's reality every day, in view of woods where soldiers fought and hid, in view of field torn still by mines and bombs, in view of buildings destroyed, and memories of lives lost never forget. 

And we, so far from war's reality, would do well to remember. Today soldiers from many nations serve their countries, and we who remain behind are so far from war's chaos. Political rhetoric aside, let us remember.

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, May 1915

Lest We Forget

In 1976 I spent the summer in Belgium. I frequently wore a red zip-up hoodie with a Canadian flag on the sleeve. Frequently while traveling the countryside people stopped me to comment on my flag. These older and middle-aged people bore in their faces some of life's hard times. Without fail they said, "We remember the Canadians - they liberated us." 

Those who lived with war's reality every day, in view of woods where soldiers fought and hid, in view of field torn still by mines and bombs, in view of buildings destroyed, and memories of lives lost never forgot. 

And we, so far from war's reality, would do well to remember. Today soldiers from many nations serve their countries, and we who remain behind so far from war's chaos. Political rhetoric aside, let us remember.

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, May 1915

I Will Remember