This is truly the weekend of reflection. In the past weeks we have expressed our dissatisfaction with everything from the environment to our political leaders. Today lets focus on the obvious. We have the right to be dissatisfied. It could be a lot different.

If our parents and grandparents had not made monumental sacrifices we might not even have the right to complain. Throughout our one hundred fifty-two years, Canada’s sons and daughters have been called to arms to defend civilization.

Our family like most has felt the sting of loss through the ravages of war. One killed a day after the war was over. My fathers best friend was a Sargent killed on the beach at Dieppe.
My father was wounded in the Italian Campaign a short time after advancing out of Ortona or as some called the house to house fighting there “Little Stalingrad” He went on to fight through southern France, Holland, Belgium and into Germany.

In the First World War my great uncle Dan the farmer MacDonald from Cape Breton received two medals for bravery on the opening day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. What these and many like them did, and those since is part of the reason we didn’t have to.

I wonder how many families have even one story as told by those hero’s in their time. It would be interesting to see or hear them as handed down.
Most of the eye witnesses are gone now but we honor their memory by doing our duty to stand in acknowledgment of their sacrifice on Monday.
This weekend is not for shopping it is to say thank you for your sacrifice and for those serving today thank you for your service.
Together we owe a debt of gratitude that could never be paid in full.

Lest we forget

Fred Steele