Editor:
“Lest we forget” is a phrase that is said all around us on Remembrance Day. But, what does it really mean remember? Why do we celebrate this day? Why do we take a moment of silence on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month?
As we sit in the warmth of our homes, our family around us, food on our tables, clothes on our backs, we must remember.
We must remember the soldiers that sacrificed their lives such a short time ago so that we could have our freedom today.
We must remember the mothers that spent their days wondering if their sons were alive so that we could always have our family around us.
We must remember the wives that stole glances at the front door, awaiting their husbands’ return so that we could always be with our loved ones.
We must remember the children that yearned for an embrace from their fathers who had gone far away so that we could always have our parents with us. We must remember their sacrifices.
We must remember the risks they took. We must remember how they fought for the vision of a better world.
The strong and independent Canada we see today is built from the sacrifices of these soldiers. Our country represents our beliefs, our values, our faith, and our perseverance. Though we grieve the lost soldiers, we must respect their bravery and determination. We must show them the peaceful world they fought for as Prophet Muhammad said, “Love of your country is part of your faith.”
On this Remembrance Day, let’s salute those soldiers and remember their sacrifices.
Dania Rashid
