Hello folks. I wanted to share with you some thoughtful words from an old friend of mine from the days of undergrad at UW, Laura. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Laura reflects...
The poppy. Have you ever wondered why we as Canadians continue to embrace the symbolism of the poppy? Why is it that as soon as the veterans and the poppy boxes are out we naturally gravitate to them in force? And why do we wear them on both our outer and inner layers? Why is it that when we lose our poppy we replace it as soon as we see the next poppy box? It doesn’t seem to matter who you are or even how old you are, it is an ingrained part of our identity as Canadians.Lately I’ve been noticing the commitment to the poppy more and more. One of the librarians I work with is an American who commutes daily from Buffalo and to her, this poppy-wearing behaviour seemed so unusual and she became immediately curious. We’ve talked about it, what it means to people, its origins and how it is something that we all just seem to do. Like any good librarian, she has researched it and from there has decided she likes what it means and is making the choice to wear a poppy - she even picked one up for her daughter. Invariably, she comments about how she never noticed people wearing the poppy before, but now she sees it everywhere, even in the stands and on the team benches at a recent Buffalo Sabres game she attended. So, in looking through her eyes and more consciously looking for the poppy and paying attention to it's medium of expression, I see it more and more – it truly is everywhere.
The CBC, through the news, the web and regular programming, are reminding us of not only what the poppy means in remembrance of the past but also of its meaning in the present. We have connections to the past signified by the poppy but many of us hold the poppy as a symbol of hope for future peaceful generations. While I am a supporter of the poppy, I acknowledge that there are those who choose not to wear the poppy because of what it represents to them - i.e. the ideologies of war/acts of violence - and so I agree, if that is what the poppy says to you and is in opposition to your personal ideology, then definitely don’t wear it and don’t be self-conscious or ashamed for not doing so. It is a symbol, and like all symbols, it means different things to different people.
A special thanks to Laura for reminding us about the importance of remembering our past and the sacrifices of those who gave everything to ensure the freedom we enjoy today (at least in part).
To everyone, a solemn Remembrance Day/Veterans Day.
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