We Remember

I love Remembrance Day, the ceremony is so beautiful and respectful and somber. I know its terrible that we have such a thing that needs to be remembered but I love that it is shown such reverence by most people. There's bagpipes and beautiful poems and songs and pomp and circumstance. Yes, I am actually one of those weird people who loves traditions and proper respect paid to certain things and certain people and for things having their place. I know its rare to hear something like that from someone my age but its true.

The dude running the ceremony we saw today read the excerpt from For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon

They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

I remember singing a song based on that during the Remembrance Day Assembly at school last year, Chris and I both soloed and I remember feeling so proud that I could at least play a part in something so important as remembering the people who died so that others may live in freedom. People who fail to recognize the importance of that sacrifice are the ones who will make it happen again. As soon as we forget why we have a military and why people lay down their lives everyday to save ours, it will happen again.
The reason Canadians and Americans have the freedom of speech to denounce the military, disrespect the veterans, hold anti-war demonstrations and burn their nation's flag: is because brave men and women died to protect it. That is the most important thing.