Families in Canada celebrate Remembrance Day for various reasons, but for the Erickson Family, it’s a time of not only remembering Families, but also my Dad and his Brothers who served in WW11.

They gave of themselves in hopes of having a better world for their Families to live in without strife, conflict and war.

Far too many tragically lost their lives and never returned to enjoy what they had fought for.

Reflecting back, I remember the days of shining the shoes for a parade in Trenton watching Dad on the parade square at South Side, or the annual Air Force days we were fortunate to enjoy on the tarmac or just polishing Dad’s medals at the kitchen table at 18 Rivers Drive that he was so proud of.

Remembering the time Dad was posted to Cairo for duties with the UN Peacekeeping Force when he was away from the Family for a year coming home only to tell us how fortunate we were to live the life we had, with us not really knowing why!

Telling us of the Children in Cairo that go day to day without knowing when or even if they would get another meal and begging for Mom’s cookies that were weeks old after flying over on the Hercules Aircraft  a four-engine, fixed-wing turboprop aircraft that can carry up to 92 combat troops or 128 non-combat.

Memories come and go, but for me and my Family those last a lifetime and we cherish and are thankful to those who served.

Even as the years pass, I am grateful for the Family time we had together and  while Mom has passed a while back, we thank Dad and the rest of the military personal that fought for our freedom.

The poem that was written in 1915, Canadian soldier John McCrae lives on and on.

The red poppies of Flanders symbolize bloodshed and as a mark where people lay wreaths of poppies as an act of respect on the graves of those who died at war.

“In Flanders Fields.” John McCrae served in the Second Battle of Ypres in Flanders, Belgium and wrote “In Flanders Fields” after a friend died in battle and was buried with a simple wooden cross as a marker.

The poem described similar mass graveyards on the fields of Flanders, fields that were once alive with red poppies but were now filled with the corpses of dead soldiers.

While Remembrance Day is only celebrated once a year, we should keep it in our hearts and minds year round.

Thanks to those who have served then and now!!!

“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.”