Today, across Canada’s six time zones, millions pause at precisely 11:11 to honour Remembrance Day. This sacred moment ripples across Canada, offering a powerful reminder that the pursuit of peace is both a privilege and a responsibility.
As we stand here in 2024, the resonance of remembrance transcends language and culture. The profound words of Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae echo in both English and Ukrainian, bridging generations and borders:
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.
В полях фламандських квітне мак
Поміж хрестів — скорботний знак
По нас; а жайвір серед хмар
Нам шле свій спів — останній дар,
Ледь чутний тут крізь грім атак.
The statistics tell a sobering story: The Second World War claimed 60 million lives, including 40 million civilians. Canada lost 66,000 souls in the First World War and 47,000 in the Second. Behind each number was a person with dreams, loved ones, and a future cut short. The median age of Canadian soldiers who fell in WWI was just 25 – young lives sacrificed in the name of freedom and peace.
Yet remembrance is not just about numbers. It’s about understanding that peace is, as one thoughtful observer noted, “a work in progress.” In every generation, we face new challenges that test our commitment to the ideals for which so many gave their lives. Today, many still fight to protect their homes and communities, while others seek refuge from conflict, leaving behind everything they’ve known.
A Garden of Remembrance
In my own garden in Kamloops, poppies tell a special story:
“They wave like flags of remembrance,
These gentle warriors.
Each poppy a heartbeat, a name, a story—
Not just flowers, but eternal flames
Keeping vigil for those who gave all
So peace could bloom.”
These living memorials, swaying in the breeze, remind us that remembrance is not a passive act but an active commitment to nurturing peace. Each poppy represents not just a life lost, but a legacy that continues to grow and inspire.
The final verses of “In Flanders Fields” carry a torch of responsibility that burns as brightly today as it did a century ago:
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.
Ідіть у бій, забувши страх,
Нам світоч випав з рук, відтак —
Вам підіймати цей тягар!
Якщо загасне віри жар —
Наш сон розвієтся, як мак,
В полях фламандських…
As we observe this Remembrance Day, let us consider three ways to make our promise meaningful:
- Share the Stories: Take time to read and share the poems, letters, and histories that keep memory alive. Every story shared is a thread in the fabric of our collective memory.
- Build Bridges, Not Walls: True peace comes not from separation but from connection. In our increasingly divided world, let us remember that lasting peace is built through understanding, dialogue, and shared humanity.
- Act with Purpose: Whether through community service, advocacy for peace, or simply showing kindness to others, we can each contribute to the world our veterans fought to create.
As we pause at 11:11 today, let us remember that while the poppies blow in Flanders Fields, their message continues to grow in our hearts. The torch has been passed to us. How we hold it high – how we honour the sacrifice of those who came before – is not just about one day of remembrance, but about how we live every day in pursuit of peace.
Lest We Forget. Ми пам’ятаємо.
References
Kondrashov, O. (2021, November 12). In Flanders Fields / У полях Фландрії: We remember / Ми пам’ятаємо. Krasun. https://krasun.ca/2021/11/12/in-flanders-fields-у-полях-фландрії-we-remember-ми-памятає/
Kondrashov, O. (2020, November 11). 11.11 at 11:11 is a time to remember and reflect on the meaning of the day. Krasun. https://krasun.ca/2020/11/11/11-11-at-1111-is-a-time-to-remember-and-reflect-on-the-meaning-of-the-day/
Kondrashov, O. (2018, November 13). Remembrance Day Long Weekend Reflection. Krasun. https://krasun.ca/2018/11/13/remembrance-day-long-weekend-reflection/
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