Lest We Forget

[Chris Knight]

In Flanders Fields

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

 Between the crosses, row on row,

 That mark our place; and in the sky

 The larks, still bravely singing, fly

 Scarce heard amid the guns below.

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

 We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

 Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

 In Flanders fields.

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

 To you from failing hands we throw

 The torch; be yours to hold it high.

 If ye break faith with us who die

 We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

 In Flanders fields.

 

- John McCrae

At 11:00 AM, on November 11th, 1918, the guns of the first World War fell silent.

Here, in China, it is "Singles Day". A day of partying and a matchmaking free-for-all.

I for one will not be celebrating Singles Day. For veterans such as myself (Bosnia, First Gulf War), and those who are friends of veterans, parents of modern day veterans, and even sons, daughters and grandchildren, of veterans, will be taking the time to pause and reflect.

I still do not speak of the horrors I encountered, but I do occasionally dream of them. I do not dream as much as I used to, waking up in a cold sweat, yelling, sometimes crying ... I suppose I am learning to cope.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones. Others, young twenty-something year old veterans of the war in Afghanistan couldn't cope. They came home and couldn't handle it. They couldn't handle the guns going off in their heads but not in the world around them. They couldn't handle that they were still walking down the road, looking at toys and bicycles, wondering if there was an IED attached to it. They couldn't handle that they were still talking to their bunk-mate, only ... their bunk-mate was no longer there. He died of injuries sustained in a roadside bomb attack, three months ago. His other friend died the day before he was supposed to rotate out.

No, they couldn't cope, but they are at peace today, standing at-ease with their fellow fallen brothers-in-arms. They are at peace by their own hand.

No, I will not be celebrating today. I will be  reflecting , remembering, and thanking those who went before me.

Remember:

It is the VETERAN , not the preacher,

Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN , not the reporter,

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN , not the poet,

Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN , not the campus organizer,

Who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN , not the lawyer,

Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN , not the politician,

Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN , Who salutes the Flag,

It is the VETERAN , Who serves under the Flag.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Lest we forget

[CCF Beijing]

“Thank You For Your Service”                                                      By Cathy Maxwell

Thank you for stepping forward when others step back.

Thank you for placing yourself between us and danger.

Thank you for delaying plans for college, marriage, and other opportunities and choosing to serve.

Thank you for braving the unspeakable horrors of war.

Thank you for sacrificing time with your families and missing those significant milestones the rest of us take for granted.

Thank you to your spouses who find themselves living nomadic lives, often far away from the support of loved ones.

Thank you to your children who accept your absence as a way of life and understand they share you with a nation and sometimes the world.

Thank you to your parents who have nothing but prayers to protect you and must now trust you will be safe and that we will offer the best we have to you.

Thank you for continuing to support your country once you leave military service by following new careers and becoming the teachers, clergy, business owners, employees, pilots, civil servants and so much more that we need to be a successful society.

Thank you for involving yourself in your local community, your state, and your country, helping us to solve problems and to create a vision for our future using the skills you learned during your tour of duty.

Thank you for being a conscience to our nation.

Thank you for serving as a heroic example of who we are and what we can dream to be.

Thank you for your service.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/11/11/to-our-veterans-thank-for-your-service/#ixzz2BvQp8JYh

[CCF Beijing]

Very profound and moving Richard and Chris.

Nov 11 has never been single's day for me either.

Nor has May 30th, Dec 7th or Sept 11th for that matter.

[Chris Knight]

Beautiful, Richard. Thank you.

[Richard Roman]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Christchurch_Cat...

[CCF Beijing]

I posted the same thing under Pierre's blog

Important day in every culture....

"Dear Mrs ______, We regret to inform you,your son was killed in the line of duty while defending his country. Words cannot express the valor and bravery performed by this young man while volunteering his service and giving his life to defend this country. He died...."