i have just spent the last hour sitting at Sir's feet watching the Remembrance Day Memorial Service from our Nation's Capital on TV. It is something i have never done before.
The program began with eulogies from some of the funerals of men who have died in Afghanistan - it was almost too much to watch as two young boys wiped tears from their eyes at their father's funeral.
And then the cameras moved to show the vets sitting at the War Memorial, under umbrellas and wrapped up in plastic rain coats as the rain beat down on them. It was almost too difficult to watch the emotion in their eyes, these old warriors, who come each year to lay a wreath in remembrance.
A number of years ago i - in my naive way - thought that one day soon Remembrance Day would be a thing of the past... the old warriors are dying off... Did you know there are only 3 veterans still alive from the First World War?? Their average age is 106. The average age for veterans from the Second World War is 80something. The average age for veterans from the Korean War is 74. But now there is a new "war".. and the average age of the soldiers from the Afghanistan 'peace keeping mission' is 30 something.
Remembrance Day is not soon going to be a thing of the past..... and i can't help but think .. more's the pity.
i long for the day when on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour we will all celebrate peace......
In many ways it does celebrate peace. The peace, the freedom, we enjoy today was gifted to us by warriors of another era. To me the day commemorates not only the lads that fought in WWI, the "war to end all wars," but rather the warriors that have fought for their people since the beginning of time.
ReplyDeleteI don't delude myself into believing that most of the wars we have fought were were fought for a noble purpose. Quite the opposite is true. And that is a sad thing.
If there ever is to be peace in the world, if the meek inherit the earth, if the lion lays down with the lamb, it will be because a warrior made it possible.
I'm glad I was able to watch the ceremonies in Ottawa. Canada really does support her troops - her troops of all times. That was a shinin' thing to see.
posted by Buffalo