The Importance Of Remembrance Day

On Novmeber 11th, 2016, I had the opportunity to go to the Serbian Centre to meet some Canadian military veterans. I had a slight idea what was to come up, the ceremonies, stories from their time of service, and maybe a few questions about their life. But I never expected such an event to alter my thoughts of Remembrance Day. As Canadians know, every November 11th, we are expected to do two things. The first thing is to give our fallen soldiers a moment of silence to thank them for making our country a better place. The second thing is to give our surviving veterans the upmost respect to congratulate them for serving our country. But, many years after we began this tradition, it has seemed to have lost its effect on the Canadian people. Doing the two things have become mechanical, and most Canadians simply do these things simply to

Some people think that the soldiers are simply liabilities trying to drain government funds with their “PTSD” and “Depression”. However, if someone witnessed an explosion big enough to destroy two blocks, or saw a soldier dying on their way to the airport, perhaps they would understand. It made me feel bad, because I never supported the veterans’ cause. I never donated, or bought poppies. The dark reality struck me as I realized how inconsiderate and foolish I had been for my fifteen years of existence. I thought my mind was so developed, yet I never learned how to feel compassion for others, something that even the simplest man could do. It’s a cheesy thing to say, regarding the topic of this letter, however I can truly say that the lunch altered my views of Remembrance day. That day, I relearned how to feel sympathy, for those both alive and fallen. I learned about the experiences of the soldiers, and most importantly, I learned the true meaning of Remembrance day; to assist those who have assisted us, and to let the others rest in