Just some thoughts...

Today is Remembrance Day, and I guess I am feeling a little sentimental as I listen to all the memorials on the radio. When I was at school, the assembly for Remembrance Day was always the one I valued the most, and we worked very hard to help the children understand why it was important to cherish those memories. I always felt that it was not just the people who served that we were remembering, but that we were remembering whole generations. Yes, we acknowledge the sacrifice that those who were in the armed forces made, but more and more I came to appreciate the sacrifices also made by those who didn't serve . When something happens to one person, there is a ripple effect into families, friends, the community and beyond. We are all affected in one way or another.
As all of you who are reading this know, the last four years we in this family have been dealing with the issues involved in the transition of two of our parents from independence to total dependence. I have mostly watched as my husband and his brother have been there every step of the way for their mom and dad. They have had many conversations with Josette at Veterans Affairs, and their dad and not directly but by extension, their mom, have received many supports through that organization. It seems only fitting that they should receive those benefits, as five years of their lives were put on hold as the Second World War dictated what they could do, if and when they could be together, where they would live, if they could start a family, and how they would support that family. I know my in-laws would be the first to say that, in spite of all that, they are the lucky ones, because they are here to receive those supports. Many times in the last year, my father-in-law has said openly, often during the most painful times, that he has been the most fortunate of men, that he had the opportunity to travel, to be with the ones he loves, to see his grandchildren grow up, to witness the arrival of six great grandchildren, and to enjoy good health for over 88 years.
Today I am remembering the good times we have all had together. Here is my favourite picture of two very special people.