Just a picture of some young fellas on parade yesterday (I think they are Canadian Black Watch, so probably Toronto and area). I did that myself for decades as a cadet then later as a serving soldier (once in theater). This post is not to degrade what they have done nor bring disrespect on them or anyone else who steps out on the morning of the 11th.
When I first returned from overseas on one of my more interesting tours I went out with my wife and her mother for the R-Day in Chilliwack. My wife's mum had (and still does) served with the Woman's Auxiliary for the Royal Canadian Legion. I think she's got almost 60 years of service. She never served in the forces or auxiliary forces, just the woman's group. Always behind the scenes making sure things went off without a hitch (much like her daughter; to mine and our children's benefit and blessing).
When I first got out of the military (over twenty years back now), I attended a few years in Yellowknife, then a couple in the Fort, but most years I avoided it all and was pissed off. Pissed off at what? Who knows.
I dawned on me a few years back (did I say I was a slow learner?), that my wife likes attending the cenotaph service. And not just attending, but standing beside me while I wear what ever accoutrements I was favored with from my years of service. Think about it. She earned them too. She was home making sure wives knew what was going on, organizing platoon shirts for the boys, and coffee and park visits for the wives and girlfriends. And most important, making sure the kids had a clean well ordered home to grow up in, that the bills were paid, the driveway shoveled, write letters to me, etc, etc.
I am blessed. And I go out regularly now. To honor her and many others like her.
Yesterday, I spent time reflecting on the names on the Cenotaph (here in Altona, it was just moved to a more open location due to town infrastructure changes). Young men. Who joined up in an area that most definitely did not support military service. But they joined up. Maybe just for adventure (and there is a lot of adventure beside all of the 'hurry up and wait' while you are in), maybe to serve something bigger than themselves (nothing makes you feel smaller than when on the move with a very large military organization, you can only see bits and pieces but you know there is more going on). They had mothers, girlfriends, wives, some came back, the names on the stone did not.
So. If you are still serving or got out, good for you, if you stayed home, that's okay too. Hopefully you're not pissed off. That was a waste of years for me.
God bless.
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