Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Lest We Understand


November 11th. 
The one day that we set aside to think about everything that we have as a country. 
The freedom that we have and the countless men and women who have defended that freedom for us.
"Lest we Forget" is the moto of the day. 
 But that has got me thinking. 
How many of us truly remember? 
How many of us can even begin to understand?


As a person who has lived my entire life within the safety of the GTA, how can I "forget" when I have no reality to truly understand.  I have always been afforded my luxury of freedom to say what ever I want (sometimes to the chagrin of others), to go wherever I have wanted to, when I have wanted to and how I have chosen to get there.  Education has been mine to capitalize on,  the Arts mine to enjoy, and travel to take advantage of (whenever it makes it into the family budget). 
I can move freely.....without restriction. 
All of this is thanks to everyone who has ever put themselves on the line for Canada.


As mom to young children, this is a very hard concept to teach.  How do you teach everything that we take for granted?  As an adult, I can not honestly imagine a life any other way.  I cannot imagine the horror of a war on our homeland.....or even of having someone I love away with their safety in question.  I can, however, imagine the dread of my children not having the same Canadian freedom that I know nothing else but.


So, with this Remembrance Day upon us, I have chosen to embrace "Lest We Understand".  Teaching my children the importance of valuing what we have as a country and why we have it.  Hopefully the coming generation will not have horrific stories pertaining to the defence of our country.  We can only hope that in the future those who stand for our country do just that, without the worry of bloodshed and only in the pursuit of peace.


In the meantime, thank you to everyone who goes beyond in the defence of what we take for granted.  Your bravery makes you hero's and patriotism is to be envied. 
Our Canada is what it is because of you.

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