“You remember only what you want to remember. You know only what your heart allows you to know.” – Amy Tan

Eight years ago, with four teachers/chaperones, and over 40 students, I experienced Europe for the first time. I still vividly remember being overcome with emotion seeing Paris in person, a city I had fantasized about visiting for many years. For me, this trip was a dream come true. I quickly became enchanted by the city, the famous Eiffel Tower, and the Palace of Versailles, but what I didn’t necessarily expect was that our visits to Canadian battlefield sites from World War I and II to be the highlights of the trip. I will never forget the first time I saw an actual WWI trench in Belgium. Seeing the mud, puddles, and barbed wire in reality was quite a different experience from reading about them, watching a documentary, or even teaching about it to my students. And walking over to the cemetery down the street, I remember just breaking down in tears. Row after row the white tombstones stood with the names of Canadians, young and old, who would never return home from the war they fought so bravely in. It wasn’t just Hill 62 in Belgium that impacted me, but also the sites of Beaumont Hamel, Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, and Juno Beach. All of these places are reminders of the blood that was spilled so long ago, for reasons that not everyone may understand. The sites will remain there forever, but the survivors have almost all passed, so it is the responsibility of our generation and those who are younger to keep the memories alive.

I have heard some people speak of Remembrance Day as a day that glorifies war and the military. I would have to disagree, especially as someone who considers themselves a pacifist. On November 11th I never think about how great war is, but the individuals lives who were affected by it, at home and overseas. And it doesn’t necessarily just have to be about World War I and II, but any other major combat that has taken place, or still is happening in our world today. It is so important that we remember how these events have shaped our lives, and how people were willing to risk their own lives so that we can enjoy many of the freedoms we have today, even though they weren’t aware of it at the time.

This November 11th marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. And while this is certainly not the most  important event in all of world history, it is still so incredibly important to remember. We cannot let ourselves forget the soldiers, nurses, civilians, men, women, and children affected by war. We must remember sacrifice, love, and peace.

Lest we forget.