Remember

I don't like war. I don't think it's usually the best solution for the problem at hand. It might surprise some of you to know that Remembrance Day is a holiday that I have a lot of respect for, though.

Remembrance Day is there - every year - to remind us that once, people were brave and selfless for what they believed in. Some of them died. Some of them got horribly hurt and felt more pain than most of us can imagine. Some of them bled to death alone in the mud and cold. They didn't do it to be selfish.

Whatever my political or philosophical beliefs are, I don't think it's fair to begrudge the actions of those who were asked to be brave and make sacrifices for the benefit of future generations. I hate war, but war happened anyway and nobody's ever going to be able to change that fact. What we can do is remember that it was an awful thing that showed both the best and worst sides of humanity.

Remember this the next time your barista gets your Starbucks order wrong, or the next time you have to sit in traffic: you and I were not asked to make great sacrifices, but we have pretty damned good lives here in Canada.

Remember, and be thankful.