Poppies Amongst The Gravestones

We shall remember as we should every year on this day (and other days too) of the Things done by Others to protect us, and our freedoms.

I have the privilege to work with many veterans in my job, and it is always astounding to talk to them about the things they did and the abject humility it is told to you (when you can get them to actually tell you about their tours of duty). Don’t get me wrong, plenty of stories of the fun times with comrades in arms, however, they rarely if ever will talk of the work done.

Our new veterans from Afghanistan have seen things and lived through a different war, we must remember them, as well as all our veterans.

I worry that this government and future ones are not doing enough for our veterans, talk to your Member of Parliament about the treatment of our Veterans. The term “Homeless Veteran” should really not exist here in Canada, we should take care of our own.

Thanks to Veterans Affairs for this picture and the vignette at the end of this post.

We shall Remember

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

 by John McCrae