A day to remember and be thankful

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran's Day in the US.

In Canada (and the UK) we wear red poppies on our lapels to honour those who fought to give us freedom. Why a poppy? Well, they grow in Flanders (southern Belgium and north-west France) the site of WWI battles and burials. The poem "In Flanders Field" is recited today all across Canada at Remembrance Day ceremonies. It was written by a Canadian doctor.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

...Lt. Col. John Macrae

Why is Remembrance Day on November 11th? The armistice (end of fighting) agreement between Germany and the Allies took effect at the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. A moment of silence is observed at 11 am. I wonder if I could get my kids to agree to that this morning? (They have the day off from school.)

Canada's national newspaper has a sobering graphic on the front page today. Each dot represents one of the 107,156 Canadians killed in both World Wars, the Korean War, peacekeeping operations, and the conflict in Afghanistan. Read more: http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/11/11/we-remember/#ixzz14zsjDozq

Who knew reading my blog could be educational? :)Pin It