Today is Remembrance Day. On this day, 91 years ago, the first world war came to an end. Now it is a day in which we commemorate the lives and sacrifices of all who have fought in order to preserve life and freedom. I feel immense gratitude toward all who have fought and I am grateful for all the rights and freedoms that I get to experience because of their sacrifice.
Remembrance Day has always been a special day. I will always remember attending the various Remembrance Day programs at school where we would take time to walk to the cenotaph in the middle of town and observe a moment of silence. Down here at school (where it's Veterans Day instead of Remembrance Day) it's harder to remember to take some time to reflect on these individuals and their sacrifice because we don't get the day off, and there really isn't much talk of Veterans Day in the days leading up to it. The Canadian Club down here usually puts on a little bit of a program, and that's always been nice to go to. This year, however, I didn't get to because I had an in-class test at 11:00. I do, however, have a poppy that I have been wearing today. Sometimes I feel a little weird walking around with it on because very few other people have one, but I think I would feel even more weird not wearing it. And, if anyone asks about it, I have a perfectly good explanation for them.
When my parents came to France at the end of my mission, we took some time to tour around and visit some sites. One of the sites we visited was Vimy Ridge, the location a WWI battle that holds particular significance for Canada. It was a very special experience to visit this site. There was such a feeling of reverence there. As we were walking around some of the cemeteries there, it was an unreal experience for me as I saw that the majority of the graves were for young men between the ages of 18 and 21. I was 21 at the time and could not imagine myself fighting in a war like that. It really brought a lot of the significance of the situation home to me. I am so thankful for their sacrifice, and thankful that I have not had to make the same sacrifice.
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