Remembrance Day - In Extraordinary Times
In Canada, today is Remembrance Day, and traditionally we honour our men and women veterans with ceremonies, parades and a minute of silence to remember the Canadians who went off to war in distant lands because they believed that Canadians' values and beliefs were being threatened. They genuinely believed that "Without freedom there can be no ensuring peace and without peace no enduring freedom."
By remembering their service and their sacrifice, we recognize the tradition of freedom these men and women fought to preserve. They believed that their actions in the present would make a significant difference in the future. However, yesterday on CBC radio, we heard a statistic that only two in ten people remember World War II. So why is it important to recognize their service and sacrifice? Is it to acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who served their country?
Granting the tragedy of the lost lives of fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters killed in action are the scars we carry in Canadian society's social fabric. We need to remember war affects all Canadians of all ages, all races, and all social classes.
Nevertheless, we should consider the unrecognized stories of 'heroes of peace' that occurred during war times. It is said that on Christmas Day during WWII, soldiers on both sides put down their weapons and would share a day of peace. Individual acts of heroism of our humanity frequently occurred, but only a few are ever recorded and receive official recognition. By remembering all who have served, we recognize their willingly-endured hardships and fears, taken upon themselves so that we can live in peace.
Today, the minute of silence on the eleven month, eleventh day, and eleventh hour - symbolizing the end of WWII, is even more poignant. The streets are quiet without the veteran's footsteps marching upon the pavement, keeping alive not the call to war but sounding the need for peace. Simultaneously, the Covid-19 pandemic hovers over us like the weight of a soldier's cold wet blanket. People say we are living in extraordinary times, but we think this has always been true. World history has always been extraordinary. We only have to look back and remember. But today, the streets are silent, and commemoration of our veterans is yet another online event. So how do we honour Remembrance Day this year? Together, during the minute of silence we can remember the veteran's dream of peace and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace they fought hard to achieve.
