November 11th.

Kind of an important date today. November 11th 2005. It's been 87 years since the end of World War I, and only 60 years since the end of World War II.

I don't know to many people who still have a direct relative who fought in the wars, my great uncles have all died and my father in-law has passed away (he served in the Italian army). One uncle was with the Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment another was with the Grey & Simcoe Foresters and a second cousin served in the Canadian Merchant Marine.

My wife’s boss, who is in from New York, was surprised by the people here in Toronto wearing Poppies, she was impressed and embarrassed. She had never given November 11th a thought until the other day. She told Wife that you just don't see this in New York.

We can't let that happen here, we can never forget or become complacent. Those years can never happen again. My Father never had to go to war, I never had to and I pray my son doesn't. We can't forget what these men did. They gave up their lives (they either died, or came back very scared by what they saw and did) and then they guided our countries, cities, and families to what we have now. Without them and what they sacrificed where would we be now (that's for the Alternate History buffs to play with).

I just want to say thank you to all the veterans still alive, and pray for all those who have passed away. Thank you for the life that you have given us.

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