This week marks Veteran's Week as well as Remembrance Day on November 11. Our school will hold a special assembly on Tuesday, November 10 beginning at 10:30.
I must admit, Remembrance Day has a certain resonance for me that dates back to an assignment I was given in grade 9. At that time, my teacher set a task for us to interview veterans that lived in the local community and then write about their experiences. I had the privilege of interviewing a World War II veteran who described his time in the European Theatre. It was not a grandiose description, it was more matter of fact, including the descriptions of friends lost along the way. The thing that struck me though, was the pride in his voice about being able to live in a place like Canada and that his efforts may have played a small role in allowing me ( a skinny 14 year old) to have the freedoms I have.
Years later I was reminded of this interview when I was visiting friends in the southern part of The Netherlands. They were teaching at an Allied Forces Base and we happened to be there around Remembrance Day. We were invited to join the Canadian contingent of Forces members, teachers, etc, to attend remembrance ceremonies in Nijmegan. What an incredible feeling to be standing in the Canadian cemetary between the many headstones. As the speeches carried on, we were able to wander between the graves and read the names and ages of the soldiers killed in that area.
So, as we head towards our assembly this Tuesday and the many ceremonies around the Capital Region on Wednesday, it is with a sense of pride that I remember all that was done by so many so that I could live the life I have.
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