this makes me sad

[pevergreen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlrrAWCTRg

On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a Shoppers Drug Mart store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the store's PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the store's leadership role in adopting the Legion's "two minutes of silence" initiative. He felt that the store's contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven o'clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the "two minutes of silence" to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terry's anger towards the father for trying to engage the store's clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was later channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, "A Pittance of Time". Terry later recorded "A Pittance of Time" and included it on his full-length music CD, "The Power of the Dream".

We watched that just before the minute of silence we observe in our special chapel at school. If someone had of talked, I would have hit them in the face.

But yes, holidays have lost their true meaning, I recognised that many a year ago.

[Gregoshi]

Thanks for sharing that song and the story behind it pever. It is a beautiful song and got me all choked up.

[drone]

Veteran's Day (Armistice Day) just isn't really a big thing here in the States. My guess is that it's due to the disparity of the casualty figures between the US and the other combatants of WWI. Coming between Halloween and Thanksgiving, and having been slowly absorbed into the Christmas shopping season probably doesn't help. Memorial Day is better, although it is still an excuse to watch cars go fast in a circle and drink beer. The price you pay for getting the day off, and it's basically the start of summer, but more people observe Memorial Day than Veteran's Day.

I like the way Armistice Day is honored in Europe, and I think it would be great if the VFW would push for a moment of silence at 11am. Just a quick reminder of the price we have paid for our freedom.