Remembrance Day is primarily a Canadian holiday, although most countries hold similar holidays around the world. Remembrance Day is a day to honor all those who fought and served in order to protect the freedom of their families, homes, and lifestyles. Setting aside the time to honor and remember those who willingly fought and died for their freedom and their country keeps their deaths from becoming meaningless.
Aside from the one hundred thousand Canadians who have given their lives in the name of freedom, Remembrance Day recognizes those who returned from war with emotional and physical hindrances that forever would become their definition. Veterans are the backbone to a free country, to a people able to choose the government they reside under and the political participation that allows people the choice and freedom to represent, ignore, display their beliefs, and protest in anger for each political facet of human life.
The Canadians have fought, struggled, served, and died in both World Wars out of free will. They lay in the fields side by side their American allies and deserve the same recognition and honor as we attribute to other soldiers, although the Canadians tend to get overlooked for their achievements and contributions to both World Wars.
The Canadians are quiet heroes. Without much fuss or recourse they simply join in the battles they feel threaten the future of the free world. Their military assistance has proven invaluable to the American causes, and the individual acts of heroism run so far and so deep that it would be impossible to pay tribute to them all. Thus, once a year a tribute is paid to all who fought and served, not only abroad, but even volunteering in their home country to provide a better life for the men overseas.
More than 1500 soldiers fought and died in the Korean War. Canadian forces were some of the first to serve in World War I and World War II. Canadian peacekeepers have had their share of missions in the Middle East, Egypt, and Croatia. There are Canadian forces standing side by side their American neighbors in Afghanistan. Because there is little fuss made over the help the Canadians willingly supply, the majority of Americans are unaware of Canada’s assistance that has been continuously supplied in the name of freedom.
Remembrance Day is celebrated with music, honor ceremonies, and the wearing of poppies on lapels. Poppies are Canada’s national symbols of remembrance, beginning when the poppy fields sprung up around the graves of the fallen soldiers of World War I.
The poppies are dispensed throughout Canada in November, and are worn in remembrance of those who have fallen and hope for the safe return of those who are overseas.
Australians, Canadians, and the English all sport poppies in honor of the dead. Throughout history, a flower on the lapel or around the wrist has symbolized honoring the dead of war and the hopes of the safety of family members and friends who were off fighting at the time. This tradition remains strong in Canada, Australia, and England.
In the weeks proceeding November 11th, the sale of poppies greatly contributes to the funds needed to care for disabled victims of war, their families, and the families of the deceased. The bulk of Canada’s veteran’s funds come from the sale of poppies, and thus nearly every Canadian citizen, and even those who are not citizens but are residing in Canada, purchases the poppies in support.
Canada is not the only country to participate in this practice. Australia, South Africa, Malta, The United Kingdom, New Zealand, and most provinces and outlying region of these countries participate both in the holiday as well as the purchase and display of poppies in remembrance.
A one or two minute moment of silence is also observed. This silence includes the ceasing of all transportation, business, electronic communication and noise, and any other potential distraction to allow nations as a whole to remember the dead, their service to their country, the disabled, disfigured, and of course, the tragically scarred that battled or are battling for a free world.
The service to one’s country is considered the largest and most honorable sacrifice an individual can make in the name of freedom and the hope for perpetual freedom. These brave men and women deserve the honor bestowed upon them each November 11th, and in fact deserve it daily. Remembrance Day helps to perpetuate the education required to not so easily forget the achievements of the past and the desires for the future.