The Importance of Remembering

Growing up, Remembrance day stood for two things in my life. It meant walking to the outdoor cenotaph a couple of blocks from our school on a crisp November day and taking part in solemn remembrance of the wars fellow Canadians have been a part of. It meant haunting trumpet solos and moments of silence. It meant that life wasn't always peaceful and that a price is paid for our hatred. We needed to remember and imagine and learn of that pain and respond by choosing to live as peacemakers.

The other thing that Remembrance day stood for in my life was my parents' anniversary. They never meant to get married on November 11th but my dad had gotten into a terrible accident at work while he and my mom were engaged. Their summer wedding date came and went. Dad was in the hospital fighting to keep his foot from being amputated. Remembrance day was the first day that he was well enough to walk down the aisle without his crutches. Remembrance day stood for love and commitment.

I never thought of this then but it is fitting in my mind that these two thoughts are coupled on such a day. The statement that follows is really oversimplified with little substantiative material for a proper thesis development for this particular blog post. However, here it is. Remembering the pain, the price that was paid, gives us opportunity to respond in a commitment of love. Like the marriage vow our commitment to living a life ruled by the peace of God is needed for a lifetime. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health...

If you weren't able to visit your child's Remembrance Day program or take part in a community remembrance, take time now to pray for our families, neighbours, churches, leaders, country, our world. Our Creator God is greater than our hearts. It is only He who can change a heart.

Lest we forget.