On this day we are asked to remember, we are told “lest we forget” until tomorrow comes that is today is reserved for our vets. In my heart I know I can’t do this as my day to day life becomes a tribute to their sacrifice. I chose to live my life in their last image because it is in this image that is supposed to burn in our hearts. As I read the tributes dedicated to their sacrifice and life I am so humbly honoured that they chose to end their life for me. We will never know the fear that lived in their hearts as they took that fear with them when they left what they left us was their courage to keep us warm throughout the night. My biggest fear is being realized as the loss of these great men and women becomes commercialized I want them to know if they can feel me that I appreciate their sacrifice.

All I wanted was to open up my mind to the lives that were. What I found was so many lives forever altered because of greed, hate and power. I remember marching in parades of Rememberance as a Girl Guide as a small child. How I would hope and pray that our Guide leader would pick me to lay our wreath on the epitaph as the stoic soldiers stood on the four corners of the Fallen Soldiers Memorial. Usually it would snow and we would march across town on Main Street in our boots and winter coats paying our respects to those that have fallen as the rest of the town looked on. I remember asking my mom if any of our relatives were soldiers because in my mind I thought what an incredible honour to have a grandfather or great grandfather give up his life for me. At that time there were no known soldiers in our history until of course Desert Storm came to be. I will never forget the first time I saw my first “Man in Uniform” up close and personal. It was an Uncle who just arrived at my Auntie’s wedding. Just like a scene from those reunited shows there he was combat boots at all as my Aunt ran into his arms. I only remember those details. The size of those boots and the euphoric energy that filled the room after. My deep obsession took seed and grew.

I can’t just give them a day when they gave me their whole life. Some had no choice but to accept their fate as given but I have a choice. The clarity that I have been blessed with is more than a blissful ignorance. I have empowered my soul and nourished my heart with some of the most tragic tails that my mind could never conceive. I was lucky in the lottery of life to be blessed with this life that I have been given. Why would I do anything else but give thanks to be where I am at nw. Wouldn’t it make the most sense to show my appreciation by diving into the unknown and try to absorb those souls that were lost? Please don’t give me just a day to remember them because there was so much taken from all of us when this annihilation occurred. We are told not to talk about the things that can hurt and trigger fear yet Hollywood glorifies evil and so many others just the same. I used to be able to watch scary movies and enjoy being scared. Now I can’t. Horrific things happened to really great people who did nothing more than come alive. We don’t want to talk about crimes against humanity because then it puts us all to blame. I can’t get over how so many willingly laid their life out for me. There is no possible way I could ever say thank you enough in the course of just one day.

Until you can lay down your selfish ways and own misgivings the sacrifice that these women and men made becomes entirely for nothing. The way that some act they should have let the Nazi’s live out their dreams and let the Japanese over run their shores. Lest not forget that there were bombs of mass destruction pointed our way and if it wasn’t for average everyday citizens like you and me we wouldn’t be here right now. Imagine how much different history would be if even just one of those had made it’s planned route overseas. Would we still be these self righteous arrogant dillholes who fly the Nazi flag like it is their God given right. How about you march to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and spit on his grave, on his American grave because what he gave up his life for is not the life that you are living right now. Forgive me for being heated but in fact I am actually mad. The amount of American soldiers that gave up their lives so that we can live freely and the only thing you want to do with your time is spew hate. I don’t know how to make those souls rest easy. There is no place anymore for those who hate freely. I would cast you back too Germany but even they don’t deserve that kind of hate. We are all trying to heal from wounds that are still fresh so all I can say is only a coward would choose this life after all that we know now.

What I love about dressing in the 1950’s aesthetic each and every day is it is me paying respects and acknowledging my freedom. I don’t need just one day to wake up and give my moment of silence and move on. Interwoven into each and every day is the memory of some soul we have forgotten. In my mind I am transformed to the land of the living where their souls come to life. They are just as time remembered them full of life, youth and love. When I go about my day choosing to be happy I also do so by paying my respects. I let my thoughts drift back to their existence as I breathe into them new life. Every soul has a story to guide us through this tumultuous experience called life. Maybe I am lost after a series of World War 2 biographies that have landed me on my knees. I am so humbled for the years of service, for all the lives lost that my life lived will become my tribute of thanks. I wouldn’t be who I am without their sacrifice so it is with this knowledge that I smile. Their lives deserve more than a mere honourable mention in my books as they were our protectors brought to life. They are our modern day hero’s and they deserve our respect. At the very least they deserve some compassion, Lest We Forget.