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.
Today at 1100 we will put aside two minutes - two minutes to remember. Last year on this day I wrote about the red poppy that I and many Canadians wear at this time of year. And again this year I was asked by quite a few Italians what it meant. When I explained that it was "in memoria" of the soldiers who fought and died in wars there were always sad smiles of recognition, if not of the day, of the sentiment.
Until a few years ago our remembrance was of those lost or wounded (physically and spiritually) in past wars; sadly we are now remembering our dead of a current war. The death toll from our "Peace keeping" mission in Afghanistan has now reached 136 - 133 soldiers, 1 diplomat and 2 aid workers. The most recent was 24 year old Stephen Marshall who died on October 30 of this year.
Compared to the death tolls of other wars or even the number of casualties amongst some of our Allies in this current war it is a small figure but is entirely out of proportion to the number of our troops deployed there. It is not about numbers but about lives cut short and even one life cut short is one life too many. But the human destruction of war comes in many forms so even as we remember those who have died in war and particularly this war we should also remember those whose lives have been changed by war. The bodies and souls wounded and crippled by what they have seen, done and endured on the battlefield. These soldiers too must be remembered, helped and honoured.
There is much talk in Canada about this "war": justification from our leaders, platitudes from our politicians, condemnation from some, approval from others. But no matter what opinion is held it is my fervent hope that all Canadians will take that two minutes today to quietly reflect, honour and remember.
Inspired by an incident he saw in a Canadian Tire Store in Dartmouth Terry Kelly wrote this song:
"Lest We Forget" - in remembrance of all victims - soldiers, civilians, friends, foes - of war.
