Kidding Around Vancouver Island

With Remembrance Day approaching, we took the opportunity last week to stop by one of the many booths that the Royal Canadian Legion has set up in grocery stores, department stores, malls, etc. We made our donation and put on our poppies, and then we asked our eldest daughter Grace if she had any questions for veteran George Smith, who was manning the table. She’s become more aware of the existence of armed conflict, but Grace had never met anyone who’s been to war. Her first question was “Did a lot of people die in the war?” Leaving aside the existence of many wars, George Smith kindly answered her question and told her a bit about his experiences as a soldier. I could see in her face that Remembrance Day was suddenly more than remembering that people had died in war, it was about remembering what Mr. Smith had done and about thanking him. She had put a face on November 11.

As I watched them, I pictured Grace talking with my grandfather, who served in the Second World War, but who passed away long before she was born. He also happened to be named George and he too had many stories of the courage and the suffering endured by Canadian soldiers. Later in the car I explained to Grace that her great-grandfather had been in the war just like Mr. Smith and again I could see a connection being made – someone in our family had been to war. I had always wondered how I would handle Remembrance Day as the children grew up, and now I knew.

This Sunday, we’ll be in Parksville to attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies, where my aunt will be laying a wreath in honour of my grandfather, as well as my grandmother, who served in the Land Army before coming to the Island as a war bride. I think Grace is going to have a better sense of what the ceremonies are all about and why it’s important to wear the poppy that Mr. Smith put on her shirt.

So I encourage you to stop by the Royal Canadian Legion booths and have your children meet the veterans. Or if you have relatives or friends who have been to war, talk about that with your children. Either way, when 11 o’clock comes round on Sunday, you’ll all have someone in particular to remember during those two minutes of silence.