Remember! By Sharon Flood Kasenberg

Remembrance Day:

I hesitate to contemplate
atrocities of war -
it starts with hate that won't abate;
results in death and gore.
The truth I dread - boys fought and bled
in fights they didn't start.
They seldom fled but died instead
and broke their mothers' hearts.
Those who returned brought lessons learned
from places they had been.
Vict'ry was earned, but many yearned
to unsee all they'd seen.
They'd witnessed hell as comrades fell
and battle raged around.
They knew blood's smell and heard death's knell
as bodies hit the ground.
And when wars end men can't pretend
their memories don't haunt -
though bodies mend, nightmares don't end,
and fears will always taunt.
War's ugly toll - more than a knoll
of earth beneath a cross;
none can control cost to a soul
or mitigate the cost.

By Sharon Flood Kasenberg, November 11, 2014

My father was a veteran of the second World War. He didn't like to talk a lot about his experiences as a soldier. He didn't tattoo his arms as a reminder of his military service, and he didn't clutter our house with memorabilia and pictures. He was just another scared kid who signed up because he felt that it was his duty to do so. There was a war to be fought, and they needed able bodies to fight it.

I've always been grateful for those who were willing to fight for our country during that great and terrible war. When freedoms are threatened, it is good to know that there are those who will stand up and fight. As a child I attended a public school that was named after a war hero. William Merrifield was awarded the Victoria Cross for "courage above and beyond the call of duty", so Remembrance Day was a big deal at my school. Every year William's story would be recounted at an assembly. We'd lay wreaths and sing, "Oh God Our Help in Ages Past" and someone would recite "In Flanders Fields". It really mattered to me that we were given time to digest the horrors of war, to express gratitude for those who fought, and to remember.

We ought to take time to remember more often - to consider not only the wars that are over, but the ongoing battles being fought throughout the world. We should often pause and stand for a moment of respectful silence in appreciation for all of those who devote their time and energy to the protection of others. Then, we should put on our combat boots and offer assistance - or at the very least some kindness and compassion. We should say a silent prayer of gratitude each day that we are able to live in a land of freedom and abundance, and should add a few words of supplication for those who suffer under the reign of oppressive regimes and ideologies.

We should try to often consider the personal battles that those around us wage - homelessness, poverty, abuse, mental illness; discrimination - those are just a few. Every day we pass people on the street who are fighting in ways we can't comprehend.

My life has been one of ease. I was raised in a good, safe home - fed, sheltered and loved. I was raised in a country where women have rights. I can show my face in public and participate in society in any way I see fit. I can vote in elections and worship, or not, as I desire. Women here can be educated and pursue any career that they wish. I was raised in the right place, and at the right time, to enjoy liberty to an unprecedented extent.

A hundred years ago, life was different for women. Very few of them played active roles in politics or had careers. Educating a daughter wasn't a high priority. When my mother left high school after the tenth grade, she was told that there was no reason for a girl to get more education than that unless she intended to become a teacher or a nurse. Western society has come a long way since then - at least where recognizing the rights of women is concerned. The word "obey" is still included in some wedding vows, but most North American females aren't expected to stay in their marriages "no matter what". Thank goodness there were women who came before me and fought battles for gender equality. I will remember them.

Progress is being made on other fronts too. In Canada, we are raised to understand that nobody should face discrimination based on their race, faith, or sexual orientation. Kids are taught in school that bullying is wrong. We are all allowed, and even encouraged, to stand up against social injustices. Thank goodness there were Martin Luther Kings, Rosa Parks and Gloria Steinems who fought the necessary battles to enlighten our society and show us the evils of discrimination. Thank goodness there were Mother Teresas and Gandhis -  whose lives demonstrated piety, unselfish service, tolerance and non-violence. I will remember them.

I'm grateful to have lived to see Terry Fox run a race against the ravages of a terrible disease. He fought a good fight that brought awareness to many, and taught us about courage and persistence. While battles against disease are far from over, I'm grateful for scientists who soldier on in their searches for treatments and cures. Thirty years ago, HIV was a death sentence. Today that diagnosis doesn't induce the same feelings of hopelessness. I'm grateful that knowledge of learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and mental illnesses have helped us all to understand how few children are just plain "weird","stupid" or "bad". I feel ashamed when I look back and recognize how negatively I labeled some of the kids I knew when I was young and ignorant. Now I better understand the kind of battles they fought - and in an era when there was little knowledge or understanding. I will remember their struggles.

Tomorrow, as I contemplate the sacrifices made by duty-bound young men like my dad, who fought for freedom, I'll also remember those who fought for civil rights, human rights and gender equality - freedoms that we too often take for granted in our part of the world. I'll take another minute to remember how many battles are still being fought - in other nations and by other individuals. When the poppy comes off, I'll try to replace it with empathy for those who fight battles I don't see and can't understand.

Every battle that goes unacknowledged comes with a cost. Some battles end in victory, and others end in tragedy and horror. Families can be shattered, lives can be destroyed when people lose battles with foes like addiction. Lives are ended abruptly by those whose struggles with depression and mental illness feel too overwhelming. There's a lot of suffering in the world - far more than most of us can see or would wish to acknowledge. We need to be vigilant in our efforts to spot these unsung soldiers and tend to their wounds. When we fail to remember that ruthless, unrelenting battles are being waged, both obvious and unseen, our own souls pay a price. Battles that are forgotten will be fought again...and again. History repeats itself when lessons aren't learned.

Remember.