On Remembrance Day we headed out to Vancouver to participate in their ceremony at the cenotaph. Leah was having a hard morning that day so I tried to help her mood by explaining what we were going to do. I told her about seeing marching bands, listening to trumpets and riding on the skytrain. Leah, being hesitant about riding on trains because they can be quite loud when stopping and starting, said maybe later we will ride on a train. I had to laugh a bit as when Leah suggests something that we aren’t going to do immediately that she is excited about, I respond with maybe later.
Turns out, she loved the skytrain. She helped get the tickets out of the machine and put them in her pocket. The skytrain is real quiet so Leah had no fears about getting on.
We arrived shortly before the ceremony began and found some great seats on the side of the road. We brought a blanket to sit on and patiently waited.
It was pretty cold out but we bundled up and stayed warm. I was very impressed at how well Leah sat through the singing and speeches. During the two minutes of silence, a few formations of planes flew over. In the midst of this somber remembrance, Leah yelled out with a few other children, “planes mommy, look at the planes” in a joyful tone. I just smiled to myself, while so grateful that when we hear planes go overhead I have no fear or need to rush my family into a bomb shelter.
Near the end of the ceremony Leah was asking to go. By this point, I was getting cold and feeling the same way. Fortunately the marching bands along with the parade of cadets and soldiers were next. While sitting on the roadside with the chill of the November day on my face as it started to rain, I thought about why Remembrance Day should be held in a warmer month of the year. But as my thoughts turned to why we participate, I thought the chill, rainy day is suitable for a day like Remembrance Day. While I’m so thankful for the peace in which our country lives, many soldiers fought in rainy trenches for weeks and months on end, fearing for their lives in the midst of horrible conditions so others may enjoy what I take for granted everyday. An hour or two with cold feet is nothing in order to honour their great sacrifice.
As we walked away, Leah on her daddy’s shoulders with an umbrella keeping her dry, I prayed for peace in our world and thanked God Leah has her daddy and I have my husband with me. I don’t think I will ever grasp the sacrifice made by those who left to fight and those who stayed home so that others could have a better life. I will remain thankful and that is why we will bring our family out in the chill for a couple of hours on a somber November day.
well written! i totally agree with what you said.