On November 11, 1918, the armistice that was to eventually end the First World War came into effect at 11am. On this day, guns fell silent after four years of bloodshed and hostilities. Today, we commemorate November 11 as Remembrance Day - a day to remember all those that died in both World Wars.
Some of us remember out of respect for those that gave up their lives for our freedom. Some of us remember because of a loss we suffered. Some of us remember because to forget would mean we hadn't learned anything.
Personally, I think Remembrance Day needs to be observed so that no blood is ever shed so pointlessly and unnecessarily again.
We like to tell ourselves that we had no choice - that we had to fight. For freedom. Because we can't admit we lost all those lives for nothing.
But perhaps our focus shouldn't be on remembering to thank those who fought - but rather on remembering why we lost them: no good reason whatsoever. Because as long as we're focused on glorifying and justifying what happened, we're losing sight of what should be the true point of Remembrance Day: to make us take a moment out of our otherwise placid lives, to think what it would be like to lose a father or a sister or a friend: to make sure things never again get quite so out of hand that something like that happens, ever again.
November has been a bad month for people. We're seeing repeats of history. People are still dying by the thousands all over the world in armed conflict. People are still receiving MIA letters and letters of condolence. Some don't need letters to tell them they've lost - they see it firsthand.
This Remembrance Day, besides remembering the story of my great grandfather who fought in the War, besides remembering Iraq, besides remembering the family I lost during the NATO bombing of 1999, besides remembering how war tore and destroyed my home, I also remembered Stephanie Fletcher.
I went to high school with Stephanie. We didn't get along great, but I can't remember why. Stephanie was a good student. Besides being a member of various sports teams, Steph also found the time for a bunch of clubs at school. Steph had a best friend - Nicole - in grade 8. She had a crush on Andrew that year too. Steph had an older sister that she adored. In grade 12, after years of not speaking to each other, Steph bridged the gap between us by commenting "I like your shoes."
We didn't talk much that year, or any year after really, but I'm glad she said what she did.
Steph died a few days ago after a year and a half long battle with cancer. All I know about it, really, is what I've been told by those that were close to her: that she was in a lot of pain, that she hated the hospital, but that she smiled whenever they went to visit.
To lose someone so young, with so much potential, with so much energy and enthusiasm, with goals, with dreams... I just don't understand how life can be so cruel. To take away a sister and a daughter and a friend, hell, even an aquaintance or an ex-enemy.
And you've got things like this happening every day, to people all over the world - these acts of nature or of God or of whatever you want to call it - and STILL you get people fighting and killing one another.
I just don't understand any of it.
If we'd just take half the money we spend on weapons every year and put it into cancer or AIDS research instead. Or if we'd just take half the energy and manpower we put into fighting these wars and focus them on educating people instead. If we'd just stop to think, stop to REMEMBER...
gde bi nam kraj bio?
I don't know. I just don't know.
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.
