It was a very gentle gesture that was so filled with meaning.
Four children offered poppies to the veterans and members of the Royal Canadian Legion.
But these were very special poppies. You see, not only were they hand-made, but they were constructed from four, cut-out hearts that were joined at the base.
This gift to our veterans was during a “Moment with the Young” and part of a special Remembrance Day Service at the Fonthill Baptist Church on Sunday. The heart-poppies tied so beautifully with Rev. Russ Myers’s theme for the service: “See with your heart what they saw with their eyes.”
That’s the point of Remembrance Day, isn’t it?
Remembrance Day is the time for us empathize with and give thanks for those brave men and women who served, and who continue to serve, our country during times of war, conflict and peace.
Remembrance Day is about honouring their courage, their commitment, and their devotion to our community and to Canada.
The men and women of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan are fighting still, for the principles of peace and justice. Indeed, it is right to remember their sacrifice and determination too.
On the cenotaphs in Fenwick, Ridgeville, and Fonthill and on the bricks at the Veteran’s Park, we can read the names of some of those from Pelham that were killed in battle or who acted in our service.
It is right for us to remember those who served from Pelham. They gave their lives for us. They gave their lives for our children. They gave their lives for future generations yet to come.
They gave their futures so that our future might be one of peace.
The gentle action of the children during the special Remembrance Day Service calls us to engrave their names and their sacrifices not only on cenotaphs or bricks but also on our hearts.
The freedoms that so many of us might take for granted – to express ourselves, to participate in cultural, religious, and political activities, to come and go as we please, to pursue a safe and happy life – are all due to the sacrifices of Veterans and those who today follow in their footsteps.
And so, on this Remembrance Day 2009, let us be thankful. Let us rededicate ourselves to peace. And let us never forget.
