Favourite Thing- Poppies

Earlier this week, I wrote about the Highway Of Heroes and mentioned Remembrance Day (entry here), which is on Sunday. 

In Canada, we wear poppies to commemorate Remembrance Day and to honour our military members- those who have served, those who are serving and especially those who have fallen. Poppies are worn from the last Friday in October until November 11, Remembrance Day. It is actually a sign of disrespect to wear poppy outside of this time frame (with a few exceptions). 

photo by Daniel Hayduk and taken from here, found via Google Image Search

A poppy was chosen as a symbol of remembrance because of John McCrae's poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

One of my favourite things is how much Canada honours and respects it's military personnel- with out Highway of Heroes, our poppies and our Remembrance Day ceremonies.  A ceremony is held at local cenotaphs, wreaths are laid in honour and remembrance and honour of our soldiers and at the end of the ceremony, people have the opportunity to lay their poppies.

Photo taken from here and found using Google Image Search

It's in wearing my poppy and at these ceremonies that I am never more proud, or thankful, to be a Canadian.

Tomb of the Unknown Solider photo taken from here and found using Google Image Search

Lest We Forget