On Tuesday November 11th (yesterday) a special day is celebrated in Canada. It is Remembrance Day! What is that? It is a day (that may soon be a holiday) that is used to remember those soldiers (dead and alive) that have served in war for us. It is super important. At school, my teacher has been showing my class some videos about war, talking to us about soldiers, the grief the family has and more. We need to thank them because we would be long gone without them because the soldiers fought and struggled for our sake. They did something most people wouldn’t be brave enough to do. Soldiers are regular people that decide they want to risk their lives so we can live in peace. They fight in war (Definition of war: a violent way to make peace.) A veteran is a person that has served in war and survived. Once they come back they should be praised and honoured. These are some wars that you may have heard of: World War I, World War II, Civil war, War of 1812, Korean War, war in Afghanistan, Vietnam War and much more. There are hundreds of other wars that occurred from the time of Jesus to the present. The countries affected may have destroyed parts of the country. Peace does not come free.

These are conditions that soldiers need to live through. They can get easily get sick in the car, boat or they can get a disease. They also always have to be on guard for the enemy. Did you know that if a soldier survives war they can come back and be very different because they have seen traumatic, shocking or disgusting things? It is almost as sad as soldiers dying. Soldiers can also get wounded and may damage their bodies permanently. They have barely any access to electronics which many of today’s people would find hard to believe. They usually must sleep late and still wake up at the crack of dawn. I can barely wake up after 9 hours of sleep! Although they may seem brave, they must feel frightened and sad about missing their loved ones. The sad thing is that death is usually violent or caused by suicide or sickness. I do not think their food is exactly first class. They may even have only 2 meals a day! It is amazing that soldiers are still dedicated to their job after these conditions.

These are 10 characteristics that I think soldiers should have:

  • Respect
  • Perseverance
  • Initiative
  • Confidence/ Bravery
  • Courage
  • Positivity
  • Loyalty
  • Determination
  • Dedication
  • Kindness

Families of soldiers go through terrible times. I never really thought about how bad they feel until this year. My teacher played us a tape where people who have loved ones in the military say how they feel. They are terrified every night because they don’t know if their loved one is sleeping peacefully. They only get a letter about every 3 weeks and an occasional email. They do not know how long it will be and if they are safe. Even though the soldiers are with you in spirit, it is hard not to be with, or even hear from them. Uncles, mother, father, aunt, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, son, daughter, niece, nephew, sibling etc. are grieving over the soldiers. I cannot imagine losing someone in my family or my friends for more than 3 weeks. Years would be quite the time.

Like Vanessa, our school celebrates Remembrance Day. We have a mass where the gymnasium is decorated nicely and people are respectful. Every person wears a poppy. It is a sign of peace and respect. Sometimes weeks before this day, you see people on the news wearing poppies. At school we pray for soldiers, families and praise the lord for the beautiful country we live in. Our country has a democracy, freedom, peace, a good reputation, and most important; pride. I am happy to live in Canada and I can’t imagine what it would be like without our soldiers. In Ottawa (the capital) there is always a big memorial and celebration in honour and remembrance of our soldiers. Every person in Canada should stop at the 11th month, on the 11th day on the 11th hour, and take a minute or two, to remember our soldiers. We also sing O Canada at school and I think it is a beautiful anthem.

Overall, Remembrance Day is a time that is very important and needs to be taken seriously. In Toronto, they are discussing if next year, the 11th should be a holiday. I would love that. Be proud and stand tall of our country. I am happy when I hear the word CANADA! We rule!! Lest we forget. So, remember that soldiers are one of our lights and we should sing our song, wave our flag, and put your hand over your heart.

Maxine Mutasingwa.