What does Remembrance Day mean to you?

Remembrance Day. What does it mean to you?

When I was a kid it was about poppies and ceremony. We would go en masse as a student body to a cenotaph to stand with teachers and peers while the Last Post was played and old soldiers stood proud and strong, laid wreaths and watched the years roll back to when the world was full of fire and light, darkness and death.

There was no doubt the day carried them away; you could see it in their faces and the tears that stained their cheeks. I would watch unblinkingly, trying to imagine what could possibly provoke such emotion.

I've spoken with many Veterans over the years and sit spellbound each time by the detail and texture of their recollections. It's clear what they experienced left an indelible mark and I applaud their courage in sharing what they know.

However, though you hear the stories and see the impact, I don't think anyone can appreciate the terror unless you were there, lived it daily and were touched by it.

Many are called; some do not return. They make the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms we know, so why wouldn't we as a society acknowledge that sacrifice and do everything in our power to honour it?

They did (and continue to do) the job and we must do ours. We have a responsibility to the past and the future in recognizing our Veterans on Remembrance Day. Failing to do so is a disservice to all they have risked and continue to risk for our benefit.

As you pause this week, think of how you can keep the flame of Remembrance alive. I'm sure you'll discover it's not difficult.

Indeed, as we approach Nov. 11, numerous groups have picked up the torch to ensure we do not forget. Notable among them for me have been the youth in our community who see the need and accept the value of remembrance. We've spoken with young cadets for their take on Remembrance Day as well as high school students at Northeast Kings Education Centre in Canning. Elsewhere, classes have held assemblies and I hope on a personal level people have discussed with their own children what poppies and Nov. 11 signifies.

It seems a small gesture, too, but attend a Remembrance Day ceremony or service. Visit a cenotaph or war memorial and pay your respects, to the living and the dead. Believe me, it means a lot.

At the very least, talk to a Veteran. Each embodies a living history that cannot pass untold and if you want insight into what war is all about, they are a primary resource.

We are so lucky, my friends. Those Veterans who stand at cenotaphs and war memorials around Kings County and across Canada to pay tribute to those who have died fighting for our way of life are icons of self-sacrifice, loss and everlasting victory. We should stand so tall or give so much.

For me, Remembrance Day bristles with meaning and consequence. It links generations one to the next and holds up the promise of a better world.

That’s what it was all about then and what men and women who serve today strive to preserve.

So what does Remembrance Day mean to you? Dig deep and find an answer. It’s the least we can do to honour those who have fought and continue to fight for our country and our freedom.