Veteran's Day/Remembrance Day

I suppose saying Happy Veteran’s Day is inappropriate. Nonetheless, it is indeed Veteran’s Day, or perhaps more commonly known in Canada as, Remembrance Day.

(Image found at: www.cbc.ca)

 Veteran’s Day is the American celebration, while Remembrance Day is “a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty.” The reason Remembrance Day is observed each year on November 11 is “to recall the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918.” It is said that the war ended on the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” and is now signified by the observation of one minute of silence at this time of day. Another way we observe this Day is by wearing a poppy. These are meant to symbolize the bravery the young men and women at that time showed while fighting for our freedom. Recently there has been some controversy on what the red poppy represents, but I will not go any further into that debate today, as I feel it is disrespectful to do so today.

I find this day to be quite somber. I had the honour of not only having a Grandfather who survived the war, but also volunteering with many veterans in a local hospital. The stories shared by both my Grandfather and the men and women I volunteered with were extraordinary. I found it unbelievable how many of them had experienced such horrific things, and yet had these incredibly positive outlooks on life. Those few years I spent in that hospital are without a doubt some of the most treasured moments of my life. I often find myself reflecting on that experience, and when I do, I immediately feel so lucky to be living in the country I am.

I hope that today, each and everyone of you takes a moment or two to consider the sacrifice these men and women made so that we could be free today.

 

(Image found at: http://wheatfreemom.com/blog/remembrance-day/)

If you would like to vote on the Daily Poll, please click here. 

National Forget-Me-Not Day

Today is National Forget-Me-Not Day! Forget-me-nots are a type of flower with over 100 different variations. 

(Image found at: http://pphotography-blog.blogspot.ca/2012/01/forget-me-not-flower.html)

These simple, yet beautiful flowers were used, historically, as “a symbol of remembrance of that nation's war dead.” This practice took place mostly in Newfoundland, Canada, but is still done today. I think it plays an important role in remembering the many men and women who gave their lives to provide us with the freedom, we in the Global North, have come to value today.

I hope you will vote on the Daily Poll. Click here to do so. As a bonus, and not to make light of what today is actually representative of, here’s Glass Tiger’s “Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone” a household classic. Enjoy:

World Freedom Day

It’s World Freedom Day, eh?! Hmmm…I’m unsure of this one. I mean, what is “freedom” anyway? 

Well, the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “The state or fact of being free from servitude, constraint, inhibition, etc.; liberty,” which is further defined as “The state or fact of not being subject to despotic or autocratic control, or to a foreign power; civil liberty; independence” or “The state of being able to act without hindrance or restraint; liberty of action” amongst others. Other dictionaries basically define it under the same means, but are worded differently, such as the Merriam Webster Dictionary or Wikipedia who struggles so much to define what it is, it has an entire page of possible meanings to select from. 

It seems that by defining the very meaning of what freedom is goes against being free, does it not? I’m in no way suggesting we shouldn’t work towards finding a common goal of World Freedom, but I just think it’s difficult to be focused on finding something that can’t universally be agreed upon. My vision of freedom is most likely different from yours, or from anyone else’s! Which, is why I find it so interesting that today is not only World Freedom Day, but also National Chaos Never Dies Day. 

Our world is filled with chaos. Everyday people are fighting over what “we” deserve, or what religion is the “right” religion, or whether climate change is happening, or what political party should be in power! It’s never ending. Freedom cannot be achieved unless we all accept that we are nothing more than humans. Humans – just another species in the Kingdom of Animalia. Only once we step back and realize that we aren’t any different than the other species, that surround us and make our lives rich, will we also begin to realize we aren’t “deserving” of anything. 

So, now that I’ve just completely deflated myself, I’m going to think long and hard about freedom and how I see it. I’m going to consider how others might define it and see if I can find any common links to work towards, because even though I don’t think it’s possible in our current state to find world freedom, I can’t allow myself to believe that it isn’t worth trying to find…

Vote on the Daily Poll…or not. You’re free to choose. 

National X-Ray Discovery Day

Today is National X-Ray Discovery Day. Why you may ask? Well, because on this day in 1895, a man by the name of Wilhelm Röntgen “stumbled on” X-rays. 

X-ray, or X-radiation is “a form of electromagnetic radiation.” Basically, this is the thing that takes a picture of your bones or teeth. It’s pretty nifty that we have this technology, particularly for medical advancements. There are, nonetheless, several concerns related to the use of X-rays. These mostly surround that of over exposure, but let’s face it, we use radiation to heat up our food in the microwave! Anyway, this over exposure can lead to developmental problems, and are believed to be the cause of some types of cancer. That’s all your getting for today! Now, vote on the Daily Poll, okay?!

National Hug-A-Bear Day

Yay! It’s National Hug-A-Bear Day! 

(Image found at: http://society6.com/product/Bear-Hug-2os_Print)

Okay, so I’m sure you’re thinking, where am I going to find a bear to hug at this time of year?! Well, I’m going to suggest not hugging an actual live bear, being as it is incredibly DANGEROUS!  However, an alternative to hugging a bear might be, hugging your favourite teddy bear, or giving a good friend a bear hug! 

(Image found at: http://www.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2010/09/20/man-sues-over-a-bear-hug)

So, since I can’t physically give you all a bear hug, here’s a crappy video that’s actually a promotion for some sort of bear hug giving app. Please note that I do not endorse this app, nor have I ever used it! 

Also, Don’t forget to vote on the Daily Poll!