Lest We Forget

This morning as we got ready for school I reminded Cat and Ace of the importance of reflection and respect during their Remembrance Day ceremony at school.  As it usually does, the conversation evolved into a discussion of what they have learned about school regarding war, soldiers and why it is important to honor those who serve or have serve in our military.  

I know what they learn at home, we have lots of family and friends who have served and some that are serving.  The key word to me there is serve, they are doing this for their country as a whole, which means they are fighting for us.  So that we can sleep at night not in the constant terror that exists in some parts of the world.

Today at the assembly my son's class is singing Blowin In The Wind, I had a struggle with that when he was practicing.  When I was his age we had already been asked to memorize In Flanders Fields and that and Oh Canada were the school's contribution to this occasion.  As it should be.

I still have it memorized and it still makes me cry every time:

In Flanders Fields
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

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

Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915 
during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium

When you take your moment of silence today at 11:00 AM think about what your freedom means to you and remember all those who sacrificed their lives to ensure it.