Mine isn't a bitch so much as a humble request. This Friday is November 11. Remembrance Day. The one day a year, (it should be more than one day IMO, but, that's another bitch for another time), that we pay our respects to those brave men and women who answered their country's call, fought and died so that we may live and enjoy our lives of relative peace, security and freedom. Volunteers all, they didn't put themselves in harm's way, fight tyranny, fear, oppression and pay the ultimate sacrifice for anything other than that we all may know a better future. This is not a day to debate about whether it was right or wrong. It is not a day to judge. It is not a day to argue about whether we should or shouldn't have sent our military into action. It's not a day for politics or political agendas. It's not a day to take up a cause or to become a protestor or activist. It shouldn't be 'just' a day off for some or a day of business, (IMO). It's not a day to forget. It IS a day of reflection. It is a day to be patriotic and proud. It CAN be a day of sorrow. It is a day to teach and learn. It is a day to be with those you love. It is a day to count blessings and be thankful. A day to truly realize that despite all that is going on in this world, in comparison, just how good we have it. It's a day that we continue to honour a promise to 'never forget'. It's a day of respect and remembrance. It's the ONE day out of the 365 that we stop what we are doing, put all of that aside and each in our own way, pay our respects. A minuscule sacrifice on our part in honour of those who sacrificed everything.
My request is this: On Friday, if you have never taken in a Remembrance Day service, I urge you to take one in if at all possible. Or, watch the national service from Ottawa on TV. Take your children. Teach them why it is so important to remember. Finally, at some point, whether it's promptly at 11:00 or even just before you go to bed, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, whatever your opinion is, political or otherwise, about our armed forces, that you please just take a brief moment, open your hearts and honestly reflect in your own way, on what these men and women did, and continue to do to this day. I promise you it won't take long and it's the least we can do. Lest we forget. —Remembering With a Vast Amount of Respect