“Lest we forget”.
That is the oft-repeated refrain you hear time and time again at this time of year, as Remembrance Day approaches.
It’s a subtle yet powerful reminder to pay the proper respect for those who have been lost in war and those who have sacrificed health, home, and security in the pursuit of freedom for all.
It’s important not to forget what has been sacrificed in the past because, as the saying goes, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Freedom isn’t free, which is sometimes forgotten by those born into a world at relative peace. A steep price was paid for the lives and opportunities we now enjoy, and forgetting that wouldn’t just be a disservice to those who paid it. It would be the first step towards devaluing and, perhaps, ultimately losing that freedom.
Remembrance Day is steeped in recollections of World War 1 (it is observed on November 11 to commemorate the official end of that conflict “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice).
But while the soldiers who fought and died in that first cataclysmic war are certainly due their respect, they’re not the only ones who have fought for our country and the free world.
As we all know, ‘the war to end all wars’ was unfortunately followed by a number of other international conflicts, and even today Canadian troops are scattered throughout the world on a mission to bring freedom and democracy to those less fortunate than us.
Our veterans are deserving of our respect and gratitude every day of the year, not just on November 11. But this one day is set aside each year, and the very least we can do is honour it in our own way.
You can attend a ceremony, or wear a poppy, or pay a visit to your local Legion and thank some veterans in person.
Above all else, you can think of the life you live and the people you love and remember that the world we live in today is a gift given to us by brave men and women, many of whom are no longer here with us.
