Lest We Forget - Part II

My dear friend Diana asked me to write something for the Canadian Club of Rome blog for Remembrance Day and I felt that an adaptation of a posting I did two years ago would explain, particularly to our Italian members, the significance of the poppy we wore today and on the past few days. In reading over it I realized that the symbolize of the poppy and its history bears repeating.



This is a memorial at the birthplace, in Guelph, Ontario, of Colonel John McCrae the author of "In Flanders Fields". A right click on the photo will take you to a brief history of the poppy, its association with Remembrance Day and this well-known poem.

Once again - we must not dwell on the past but we must remember it and those who died so that we may freely remember it.

11 novembre - Remembrance Day

Lest We Forget.

As the years go by the reason that November 11 was chosen as a Day of Remembrance has begun to fade into the fog of history; but the reasons that day was chosen no longer really matter - what does matter is that we continue to remember.

We wear a poppy to remember.
We lay a wreath to remember.
We ask the world to be silent for two brief minutes to remember.
We say a silent prayer to remember.
We listen to the last post to remember.

But it is not important how we remember, what is important is that we remember!  And that we remember not just those who have died in both combat and peace missions but those who bear the scars, physical and mental, of battles fought and scenes witnessed.  And it is important that we not just remember today and then forget about it until the next November 11 comes around. 

And no matter what the mission may be - peacekeeping, protecting or combat - and no matter if we agree or disagree with it, our fallen, our wounded, our retired and our active forces must know that they are not forgotten at home. Must know that their actions past and present are remembered.


11 novembre - Remembrance Day