Remembrance Day -- always a somber day of remembrance for those who died and those who returned home with physical and psychological scars -- carried for the rest of their lives. Cooler temperatures with major winds prevailed today. Looking out the front window showed blue skies with white puffy clouds while out the back revealed dark grey sky. Each view alone told a very different story. This made me think of the many personal stories of those who served and currently serve. Family members from three generations have served in the CF. They have been part of both world wars, the Korean war and the second Gulf War.
At ceremonies at the National War Memorial today, navy Captain Bonita Mason, Deputy Chaplain General, Canadian Armed Forces made a statement that made me think. She noted that when we remember we bring together what was once torn apart (or dismembered). It provided a different way to think of remembrance.
In a cemetary outside Cambrai, France, lies the cousin of my paternal grandfather. He was killed in the final push in 1918 just a month before the armistice. A photo of his gravestone shows a lovely red rose growing on his grave. The province of France had been Picardy, before the names changed later in the 20th century. The song I share today is from the first world war. Stay safe. Enjoy!
Roses of Picardy -- Mario Lanza
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