The Honored Fallen

They say, "lest we forget", and yet it seems that all to often we do. In recent years, I've noticed l lack of recognition of the many people who have given their lives in the service of this country. Many young people in this country don't even know what remembrance day is all about.

At the end of the first world war, it was decided by all the allied nations that November 11 would forever after be a day of remembrance. A day on which we remembered the people who died for this country. That was back in 1918, 90 years ago. The world has changed a lot since then, but one thing remains the same. Nations send out young people to fight and die for one reason or another.

When the world pledged to never forget, they had just buried 20 million soldiers. It was still fresh in their minds. Most of the people remembering had lost someone close to them. It's hard to forget when you can still smell the blood. But time passes, memory fades.

When I went to Western Canada High School,(the oldest high school in Calgary), their was a large mural on one of the walls in the main foyer. Inscribed in the mural were the names of every student who had left school early to go and fight in two world wars, the Korean war, and several other conflicts. I remember looking at their pictures and thinking that they didn't look like heroes, they just looked like ordinary kids like me. I guess that's all they were, really. Their country called them to arms and they answered the call and never came back.

Now, 90 years after remembrance day was first established, things have changed. Every employer I've worked for has convinced us to trade in Remembrance Day for an extra day at Christmas. That's it. That's how we honor the heroes of this country. Just another work day, like any other. No ceremony, no bugles, no services, no flag raising,no 21 gun salute, nothing. So much for the national day of remembrance.

They say "lest we forget", but it seems like we have done just that, forgotten.

I hope it's not going to take another world war to remind us.