NightStorm's Corner » Rememberance Day

Rememberance Day 2009

NightStorm — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:20:03 +0000

Sometimes words aren’t enough… but Shawn does such a wonderful job of conveying the message that many feel. So, instead of taking my normal route for November 11th, I leave you with a simple video and a set of lyrics to accompany it. The video says more than I ever could anyway.

It only takes two minutes to think about the sacrifice others have given, and are giving right now, for you to be here. Tomorrow at 11 AM, give that time.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSmyoNg-fjE

Some people say, I’m a fighter
Some people hate what I do
I stand for my country
I stand for you

I got a family that loves me
They respect what I do
Try telling your child you’re leaving
Believe me it’s a hard thing to do

So, If I die don’t judge me
Cause, I will not judge you
And If I die, please accept it
Cause, I would die for you

We have our reasons
Rules, morals and beliefs
I won’t slander your opinion
I’m just searching for peace

So, If I die don’t judge me
Cause, I will not judge you
And If I die, please accept it
Cause, I would die for you

On The 11th Hour, Of The 11th Day, Of The 11th Month… We Remember.

NightStorm — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:01:08 +0000

So, I was going to do my annual post last night, but could not seem to concentrate enough to get it done.
Here it is.
Remembrance Day. What does it mean? In simple terms, it’s the chance to say thank you to all those who have helped to make this Country, and even the entire World, a little safer. Many thousands of Canadians have given their lives, just to make sure that we have the right to spend one minute out of our entire year just to say “thank you for your sacrifice”. One little minute doesn’t seem like much, when you compare it to the number of people you are honouring with it, does it? I didn’t think so… unfortunately, a customer I had today didn’t think the same thing.
As the planes flew over head, circling from one Royal Canadian Legion to the next, trying to be near them all when that moment came, I was with a customer at work. Yes, our store does not close for Remembrance Day, even if some of us truly wanted to attend the ceremony at our local Legion. Anyway, 11 AM came around, the radio fell silent, and I shut off my forklift and sat in silence. Less than half a minute later, the customer is asking me why I have stopped. I pointed out that it is 11 o’clock on Remembrance Day, and I am giving my moment of silence. This customer actually scoffed at me. Mind you, he did let me finish the moment… but to even interrupt it, when it’s obvious what I am doing (the same thing as tens of thousands across our Country) was insulting to me. I won’t bother to highlight his apparent nationality, due to the risk of being accused of racial profiling… but just the same, I was deeply disturbed by this brief encounter.
Perhaps it was just a case of bad timing, or maybe he was not aware of what time it actually was… maybe I have taken for granted the knowledge and respect I was raised with. Or maybe this customer just thought that his time is worth more than THEIRS was.
To those who serve, have served, or have family or friends who do or have ever served… thank you.

November 11th

NightStorm — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:14:59 +0000

Tomorrow is Rememberance Day. A few years back, when I was still in High School, one of my brilliant teachers asked the class a question… what does Rememberance Day mean to them. Many in the class, I am sure, viewed it as nothing more than a holiday… a 3 day weekend, a chance to party it up, or a day to not worry about homework. See, when I was in High School, there were no major Military actions taking place involving Canadian Soldiers, so it was hard to wrap your mind around the idea of people from YOUR country dying for someone else. I had missed all the other major wars, and the Gulf War was just far enough away that it had slipped our minds, being replaced by the White Bronco chase in California and murder aquittals. We were largely untouched by the idea of people from “home” drying overseas to assure others were given the chance to live in a way that we had largely taken for granted.

Then 9/11 happened. I had been out of school for some time by this point, but living in the States at that time, it hit close to home. Schools were locked down (including the small-town school my then-step-son was attending), all planes were forced to land, and military was mobilized. People had died. Lots of people. Every News channel, every website, every conversation centered aorund this act, and the idea that we were going to War. Canada, my home Country, was one of the first to reach out to the States with an offer of aide (something a lot of Americans have since forgotten). Soldiers from my home Country were now at War, fighting for a Country that was not even their own. And more, Soldiers from my home Country were dying for that War. Selfless acts of sacrifice in the name of Freedom and again, the way of life we had taken for granted.

Between September 11 2001 and September 25 2007, 72 Canadians have lost their lives (LINK). These were not simply unnamed faces… these were someone’s son, or daughter, or neice or nephew, or grandson or granddaughter, or mother or father. All people who stood up and stepped forward to defend freedom, and ultimately gave their lives for it. How do we honour them? How do we now, today, stand here and say thank you to those people who can no longer be here with us? We take a day, and dedicate it to their lives and their sacrifice. We think of them, we carry their courage and their memory and their sacrifice with us, and we make sure that what they gave was not in vain. And we make sure that every generation knows what November 11th really means. It’s not a day from school, nor a day from work. It’s a day to say “Thank You”.

If that same teacher were to now ask me the same question I was asked then, my answer would likely be much different. I only wish it did not take the deaths of all those men and women for me to stop viewing the day through selfish eyes, and to understand what it really meant.

Rememberance.

To everyone who is in the Military, or has been, or knows someone who is and stands by them even in the darkest of moments. Thank you.

Tribute to Canadian Soldiers

Canadian Forces Tribute
Played at Military Night
Produced: Steve Godkin, Manitoba Moose
March 10, 2007
Winnipeg,Manitoba,Canada
MTS Centre
Moose vs. Iowa Stars
AHL Hockey
Parent Club; Vancouver Canucks

And Bryan Adam’s Song

NightStorm — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:52:43 +0000

I remember watching this in school…

For our King and our country and the promise of glory
We came from Kingston and Brighton to fight on the front line
Just lads from the farms and boys from the cities
Not meant to be soldiers we lay in the trenches

We’d face the fighting with a smile – or so we said
If only we had known what danger lay ahead

The sky turned to grey as we went into battle
On the fields of Europe young men were falling
I’ll be back for you someday – it won’t be long
If I can just hold on ’til this bloody war is over

The guns will be silent
On Remembrance Day
There’ll be no more fighting
On Remembrance Day

By October* of ’18 Cambrai had fallen
Soon the war would be over and we’d be returnin’
Don’t forget me while I’m gone far away
Well it won’t be long ’til I’m back there in your arms again

The guns will be silent
On Remembrance Day
There’ll be no more fighting
On Remembrance Day

One day soon – I don’t know when
You know we’ll all be free and the bells of peace will ring again
The time will come for you and me
We’ll be goin’ home when this bloody war is ended

The guns will be silent
On Remembrance Day
We’ll all say a prayer
On Remembrance Day

On Remembrance Day – say a little prayer
On Remembrance Day

Well the guns will be silent
There’ll be no more fighting
Oh we’ll lay down our weapons
On Remembrance Day