Remembrance / Veteran's Day
I don't like it. Now, before I get hate mail/messages, let me explain:
I don't like it for the same reason I don't like holidays like Mother's Day and Father's Day. I feel that honouring our soldiers (past, present and future) and honouring our parents should be reflected in our day-to-day interactions with them, not just on one day when the calendar says to. It's for that reason that I do buy a poppy when it comes around the time to buy one, even though I'm not a fan of the holiday. It's not because my calendar says November 11th and the clock reads 11:11, but out of respect for the process and the way in which they are being (inter)nationally honoured.
Does that mean I don't think we should have the holiday? Not at all. I think it's good to have a specific day to honour our soldiers. My concern is that it is observed glibly like some treat Catholic confession, for example. I mean this in the sense that after November 11th passes, a good portion of our Western society will slowly regress to being ageist and dishonouring toward the elderly. This is not how it should be. Honour should be year-round, not on a preset day.
That being said, thanks Papa and to all of the other soldiers past, present and future for fighting for me. I do remember you, and it's year round.
I don't like it for the same reason I don't like holidays like Mother's Day and Father's Day. I feel that honouring our soldiers (past, present and future) and honouring our parents should be reflected in our day-to-day interactions with them, not just on one day when the calendar says to. It's for that reason that I do buy a poppy when it comes around the time to buy one, even though I'm not a fan of the holiday. It's not because my calendar says November 11th and the clock reads 11:11, but out of respect for the process and the way in which they are being (inter)nationally honoured.
Does that mean I don't think we should have the holiday? Not at all. I think it's good to have a specific day to honour our soldiers. My concern is that it is observed glibly like some treat Catholic confession, for example. I mean this in the sense that after November 11th passes, a good portion of our Western society will slowly regress to being ageist and dishonouring toward the elderly. This is not how it should be. Honour should be year-round, not on a preset day.
That being said, thanks Papa and to all of the other soldiers past, present and future for fighting for me. I do remember you, and it's year round.