Why is it so hard to remember?

A5

By Lisa Keough

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On Monday night I went to see Passchendale. It was amazing! A couple of times I almost cried because it was so touching and/or sad, but I made it through without shedding very many tears. Surprising really because every time I try to watch a war movie I end up crying so hard I can't see the screen.

My boyfriend and I were the youngest in the theatre on Monday (except for the two behind us who I'm pretty sure WEREN'T watching the movie ... at least for most of it) and it was a little bit awkward because I think the older people there, or at least most of them, were veterans.

Remembrance Day is closing in on us, and I for one hope it is reasonably warm this year! I am lowering the flag in Hartland as I did last year, and if it doesn't warm up I will probably wind up frozen stiff again. Last year I think it started to snow when I was at the flag. That was cold on the ears!

This year's Remembrance Day is the 90th anniversary of the Treaty of Versailles. Most people haven't been around long enough to remember the First World War, but I still feel everybody should stop to remember. I'm stubborn. There are very few answers I will accept for not being able to show you remember. Time is not one of them in most cases.

I am going to quote a song I have been listening to (almost endlessly) for the past week or so. It is "The Red and White" by Julian Austin – "This country these days it seems, is not as proud as it should be. Do we care about our heroes anymore? Do we take the time to thank the soldier, for everything they do. Have we forgotten those brave souls, who fought and died, for the Red and White?"

Those are some powerful lyrics, and they describe exactly how I feel. I'm so sick of people telling me they don't care about our heroes. I tell them they died so that they could say that, and they really should have more respect than that. Really!

I believe everyone should visit a veteran to learn their story first-hand. Maybe then people will learn more respect for their country and their freedom. Freedom is not free. I have that wrote on most all of my binders at school.

Our soldiers go over to fight in a country that doesn't necessarily want them there, and for people who don't always give a hoot. Saddening really. But that's just my opinion.

Remembrance is something I voice my opinion on, a lot. I get really frustrated with the people who are so disrespectful as to make a joke of our national anthem! There are some people whom I go to school with that do this at nearly every Remembrance Day assembly at school. I could smack them! This feeling gets so much stronger when I see the veterans crying at the front of the room and some, pardon me, stupid students at the back make a joke of the whole thing. It makes me want to cry!

I have one question to leave you with, "" That's what I want to know. If you have an answer for me, I'd love to hear it. E-mail me at boycrazzy101@hotmail.com with "why it is so hard to remember" in the subject line.