Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/86

Contributor - Peggy Humby

Title - Remembrnace Day 1986

Topic - Remembrnace Day

When I was in public school, every year we had to write an essay or poem about "Why I Wear a Poppy", or "My Favourite Canadian Hero", or "What Remembrance Day Means to Me". If I were to ask the latter question of different people I am sure I would hear a variety of responses.

Each answer would be unique and go back to different times. A few would remember from first-hand experience W. W. I, others, who were too young to remember "the War to end all wars", will remember W. W. II vividly, and share the memories of lost loved ones with their parents. Those of us who are even younger, who never felt the pain of any war, will remember the stories we were told of the horrors our parents and grandparents lived through. We remember the picture of the young men we never met. There is sympathy for the pain of our parents and relations, but no personal pain.

These wars will be just a page in history to our children and the names of the men on the war memorials will no longer have a meaning. They will be merely endless lists of people who died in wars that should never have been. It will be just a very sad story - or will it?

Most of the people of my parents' generation grew up during war, experiencing the horrors and realities of it My generation has grown up with an intangible fear of war, never being able to see it or deal with it face to face. We were raised with a shadow of a war, not only endangering individuals but threatening humanity as a whole.

Why then do we still continue to have Remembrance Day? We are no further ahead on seeing a warless, peaceful world than we were 70 years ago. What is the legacy that we can pass on to our children so that they don't see just a sad, hopeless story?

The men died and war continued, but these men had faith in themselves and in their society, a faith so strong that they lay down their lives to preserve it. Our world would be very different today if no one had come to the defense of our lifestyles. These men also roughs believing that their children would not have to fight that their war would be the last they hoped for peace. We all hope for peace, strive for it But, perhaps we can learn from the past, that no attempt at peacemaking by man will ever succeed.

We should continue to strive for peace and do our best to be at peace with one another, for we know one day we will see total peace through Christ Until that day we should all be as strong in our beliefs as those men were in past conflicts. Just as Christ Himself did not bend to the world and gave His life for us, so we should be ready to die for our Christian values and for peace.

Perhaps then the legacy is strength and forebearance. A living example to all who follow them not to give up or give in.

At 11 o'clock on November 11th, this nation will stand in silence once more - let us all remember, be proud and be strong.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, or the years condemn from the going down of the sun and in the morning WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!

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