At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, our local elementary school children gathered outside while veterans conducted a short ceremony to honor those who served in the armed forces. The children put their hands over their hearts and watched in silence as the color guard raised the flag, and then their sweet voices blended with the stronger voices of their teachers as we sang the national anthem. It reminded me of my own Remembrance Days as a child, when we’d pin red poppies to our coats and remember those who defended freedom and gave their lives for us. We watched Dad polish his medals and put on his uniform. Then he’d go downtown for the parade and ceremonies that he and his fellow veterans participated in. We were proud of him, even if we didn’t really understand the horrors he had gone through or the comradeship he shared with the other men at the Legion. He spoke very seldom about his experiences. He was an ordinary man, an army auto mechanic who rushed in and saved others’ lives on two different occasions, who lost his teeth from an exploding mortar, and who created a tapestry while convalescing in a hospital. His legacy to us was a love of country and a deep respect for all those who have and still do defend our freedom. Let us not forget those who made it possible for us to live in peace.
NaNoWriMo update: 29,316 words. Now you know what I did with my weekend!
Carol Nicolas 