What Do You Remember

As the generations of Canadians become further and further away from the soldiers who fought on foreign soil to protect our freedoms, what will they remember?

I ask myself, what do I remember?

My mothers father was one of those soldiers, one who lived to tell the tale, or so I hoped. I can remember spending nights at the cribbage board, moving those pegs around and pleading with questions about what it was like. He was not one to tell tall tales to his grandson of what it was like, quite the opposite he chose not to talk about it at all.

No stories to pass along to my children and they to theirs about how one of their family members put their life on the line for what they believed was right. But tomorrow, that won't stop me from remembering Parker Churchill Fillmore for the sacrifices he made as well as all the other Canadians I never met who paid the ultimate sacrifice for my family.

So on Nov 11, or on any day for that matter. When you see one of our veterans, take a moment to walk up to them and say Thank You...."thank you for what you did for me." I can't imagine a more special moment for that person.

For our king and our country and the promise of glory
We came from Kingston and Brighton to fight on the front line

Just lads from the farms and boys from the cities
Not meant to be soldiers we lay in the trenches

We'd face the fighting with a smile - or so we said
If only we had known what danger lay ahead

The sky turned to grey as we went into battle
On the fields of Europe young men were fallin'

I'll be back for you someday - it won't be long
If I can just hold on 'til this bloody war is over

The guns will be silent on Remembrance Day
There'll be no more fighting on Remembrance Day

~ Brian Adams