whereby school children go to cemeteries to leave poppies on deceased soldiers’ graves is an excellent way to honour the dead who fought in wars to safeguard our country, other countries, and the world.
For me, this is a significant, meaningful practice of Remembrance that brings the generations together, and an appreciation of context and history. Today, overall, there simply isn’t much perception, understanding, and appreciation of the past and of history in general. People’s sites, including many young people, are focused mainly on the personal here-and-now, hand-held technology, or the future, not the past.
But it is common sense to remember we enjoy our freedoms and comforts largely because of the way some made a choice to serve and give up their lives for Canada and families. To them, we owe thanks for the privileges, comforts, and prosperity many people just take for granted.
Death and life go side-by-side all through life. In Canada, our holidays and occasions often coincide with death; at Easter, on Canada Day, but especially on Remembrance Day. Wearing a poppy in the first half of November, donating to veterans’ funds, attending or viewing the November ceremonies are marks of respect, understanding, and appreciation of the dead and the military. ‘No stone left alone’ is an effective, noble, respectful, memorable way for the young to pay their own homage to the dead and those who served.
(my father on the left, about 18-19, when he served in the Canadian Navy in WW II)
We were all young once, even those who served in wars.