Today is Remembrance Day. We remember those who fought for the World’s freedoms. We remember those that died and those that never came home, or those that did come home never to be the same.
War is something that most of us today don’t have to worry about. We live in a society that is insulated from the wars that are going on in this world. Because war isn’t something that is foremost in our minds nowadays, perhaps we forget that it wasn’t that long ago that we as free countries were threatened, our life and liberties were threatened.
I don’t mind forgetting that there’s wars constantly going on now. I don’t mind not seeing it on the news. I know that there are many people who are caught in these war zones, or that perhaps my neighbours have friends and families in these war zones. Because it’s not close to home I can turn a blind eye to it.
Both my Grandfathers fought in WW II, my wife’s Grandfathers fought in the war as well, Realistically they were on separate sides of the battle, just because her Grandfathers fought for the Germans doesn’t mean that they wanted to. Just like the Americans during the Korean or Vietnam war, these people were conscripted(drafted) into service for their country. Did they want to go off and kill other people? No! They fought for their countries, whether they wanted to or not.
That’s why today I don’t mind if you forget about the past or current wars, I do want you to remember those that fought in the wars. This isn’t about glorifying war or fighting, it’s about celebrating the spirit of life.
Please, if you know or run into a current member of the armed forces, thank them. Talk to them. “Embrace” them.(I use quotes because I don’t want you to necessarily embrace them, because it could trigger PTSD, it’s meant in this essence of embrace them spiritually, emotionally.)
I get misty eyed when I think of those that fight and have fought for my freedoms. My freedom to criticize our involvement in wars, my freedom to criticize my government.
Do you know who else has suffered through the fighting and still suffer through the fighting and long deployments? The families of the soldiers. We celebrate the soldiers but I think we need to take our hats off to their families too, these people may not lose their lives in war, but they do lose their loved ones, they lose the one person that they know and love because the soldiers come home changed, a virtual stranger to those they love.
So today, as we Remember those that lost their lives in service to our countries, remember those that lost a part of themselves too.
God Bless the Soldiers, and their families, today and every day.