Remembrance Day

It's Remembrance Day today.  Here they call it Veteran's Day but for me it will always be Remembrance Day.  And it will likely always be the one day a year that I miss living in Canada most.


My father was in the Royal Canadian Air Force.  He joined when he was 17 and served his entire 30 years in peaceful times.  Aside from a few years he was stationed in Germany in the early 60's, he was able to remain at home.  I didn't realize how lucky he was (and, therefore, we were) until I was much older.

I spent the first 12 years of my life growing up in a military town.  We didn't live on the base but its influence on the town was palpable, not just because of the heavy air traffic.  It wasn't just the Air Force, either -- there was also a Navy base on the other side of town.  There were always people in uniform and, because we were all somehow involved in military life, Remembrance Day was a big affair.  There was a large parade every year with hundreds of people in uniform, young and old, including myself as our Brownie and Girl Guide troops often participated in the parades as well.  Even at school, there was always an assembly even if it was only a short one as we sang the National Anthem and recited John McRae's poem "In Flanders' Fields".

By the time I was in my teens, we had moved and no longer lived in a military town.  For many years I regretted having missed the opportunity to have joined Air Cadets, as I was too young to join before we moved away.  However, even living away from the military influence, there was a small Remembrance Day ceremony at the little cenotaph just down the street from my high school.  Our music teacher always looked for volunteers to play at the ceremony.  One of the trumpets would play "Taps", although I can't remember what the rest of us were there for.  I always volunteered to go, not to miss an hour of school like most of the other kids who went, but because I thought it was important.  I know it was important to the old men who showed up every year in a suit and tie with their medals and accolades pinned to their chests.

So today is a lot more than 11-11-11 for me.  It's the day I miss so many things about home.  I miss seeing the cadets selling little poppy pins, even though they called me "Ma'am" long before I thought I could be considered one.  I miss seeing those bright red poppies adorn the lapels of dark woolen winter coats.  I miss seeing the wreaths laid at the monuments.  I miss the parades and ceremonies.  I miss hearing someone read "In Flanders Fields".  I miss Remembrance Day being remembered -- not by Veteran's Day sales but by something more meaningful, even if it's just wearing a plastic poppy over your heart.