Sometimes life makes you sit back down and reflect.
Today was one of those times. Sure I spent an unusually large amount of time today scuttling between home and school and downtown and work and… etc. In the abominable weather out there (brrr!!), but just the same an eye opening day.
Today I attended two international week sessions, the first being oriented toward teaching about constructing a culture of peace and resulted in my writing some pretty darned decent poetry (although rather Utopian and unrealistic). The second had me recalling all the experience I had with military-esque things…. Honestly, the evening's keynote literally blew me away. It was that good. After having seen military service men congratulate me on my World War poetry as a youth, after having been in cadets, after having lived with a roommate who was in the military at the time, after having known so many friends involved in the military, hearing about them going off to courses and… the places about which the keynote described… I guess it all felt just that little bit more real. After having sat with the military at the huge public ceremony following the deaths of some of our Canadian soldiers, after having seen the impact of war through pictures and words, after having been literally obsessed with literature pretaining to wartime as a young guppy, the effect of this evening's keynote was really truly amazing. Honestly I don't know why. And yet I do know why.
And to all those out there involved in the military in any way shape or form:
THANK YOU.
I couldn't do what you do.
And I feel utterly grateful that there are people out there doing what must be done.
For not only our country, but for others peace and safety as well.
THANK YOU.