The Day to Remember (Remembrance Day - 2020)

 

What a frightful year, 2020 has been.  The war on the terror of COVID-19 does not abate. It has more or less come full swing since its inception about this November time, 2019.  So many lost their lives or their loved ones to it.  It appears that as of 9 November 2020, if I read it right from the internet, (I stand to be corrected), that 1, 263, 111 deaths from Covid have happened.  Many more have recovered which is a mercy of God.

Not to minimize the COVID-19 pandemic losses, especially in the face of those who have been directly affected by it and lost their loved ones, we come to the actual armed conflicts of the world.  The big ones most people would think of are WW I and WW II.  There were the Korean War; the Vietnam; the Gulf War and etc.  The losses from these were phenomenal just for military personnel; double-digit millions.

Add in the civilians who lost their lives, caught in the crossfire, so to speak, which also run up into the double-digits and you have travesty upon travesty from both sides of the equation.

In some countries, the 11th of November is the day to remember those who sacrificed their lives for the good of their country; their ideals, beliefs, and to win justice for the people living in the battlefield regions, against the atrocious deeds of tyrants.  This is the 'raw material' I'm referring to and not the politics and innuendos of power plays of individual warmongers who love war.

Now, I myself cannot talk too 'big' on this subject.  However, I have post-war benefitted from those sacrifices and lived in a country where peace and harmony generally reigned, even during the fiercest fights of the frays across the waters.  

I do not hardly know any soldiers up and close to get even a little real 'feel' for what some, who did return, endured and experienced.   I have watched documentaries and even taught the history of WW I and WW II, and have tried to imagine it yet that was barely scratching the surface.

We cannot forget any of those who did not return.  We cannot forget those who did either.  A good number of them have recurring nightmares of graphic sights, sounds and smells they witnessed, heard or smelled; who now battle PTSD; have had to relearn to live with loss of limbs and etc., the on-going fallout.  Never "the same" evermore.  They try to go on, but some don't.  Further tragedy.

So we pause.  

Have moments of silence.

We remember as we are able.

Sometimes we visit war memorials.  Read the names of the fallen.  Find names of ones we may have known.  Think about them and the horrors they'd been through.  

Father in Heaven, bless those veterans who valiantly attempt to go on. We know that you will never forget them even if others of their fellowmen and women do.   Bless them and help them to "recover", may they be renewed, revived, refreshed and most importantly, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.  May He then work in tandem with them through Your Holy Spirit, to live on until the day You call all Your children Home.  In Jesus name I ask.

Go and thank a veteran.

Any veterans reading this, "thank-you".  

                                                  ~ERC  November 2020~

Song, Remembrance Day Song as sung by  SingSongAlong

From the Trews - Highway of Heros