Remember them always

Remembrance is universal. You will always remember where you were when you lost your best friend. Whether they be related or not, you will remember that day and time.

When a soldier is lost in a war, a person loses a best friend. Whether they are a sister or brother, a mother or father, a husband or wife, a son or daughter, they are your best friends.

What if they are never remembered, do you go on in life like nothing happens?

It seems people everywhere have become indifferent to our war dead. All those men and women dying in Afghanistan and people think it comes with the territory of war. That may be so, but they are human. We must act humanely and mourn.

All our wounded have come home in pieces. Not just physically but mentally. They have seen it first hand and they know what it's like to lose a brother or sister. Every fallen soldier is a brother or sister to them. They have learned hard lessons together, played a game or two while off duty, and they knew each other personally.

We knew few of our soldiers. The families of every single soldier that was lost or comes home injured mourns. Their family members are coming home in a box or in a wheelchair. They know, we do not. The general public does not know what it is like to lose a person in such a way. Like dying by a car bomb targeted at them while they were helping local children; by an angry man who has only been taught one thing, which is to shoot to kill.

The war dead and the wounded of the Canadian Armed Forces have lived a life they have chosen. Working for their country in a way not everyone can or would chose. Remember them, those brave men and women who took up arms for our country when our country took a stand. Remember every single one; the injured, the lost and those who returned home shell-shocked but alive. Remember their names and that each and every one of them belongs to our country, that they are Canadians through and through.

Stand for our country, pray everyday for those men and women over in Afghanistan. Be their last line of support and defense. "Proud Canadians Do Proud Things" Christina Nicole Pottier, Yarmouth High Memorial Club