Remembrance Day

As I sit in my nice warm place tonight, on this Remembrance Day, I am thinking of all the stories of war and service.

I think of my grandma.  She learned how to knit in school in First World War time England.  She learned how to knit with her eyes closed so she could continue to support the war efforts during blackouts.  She also lost her father when she was 11.  A civilian victim of the war.

I think of my other grandma, growing up in rural Alberta.  When the Second World War hit, she was 12 and her family was German.  I have heard a story where she and her younger brother refused to speak German after that.

I think of my great-uncle who went to enlist during WWII because he figured he wouldn't be sent overseas as he could get a farmer exemption.  Only, there was a mistake with his paper work and he spent years in Europe.  The military didn't always know where he was due to the mistake.

I think of my uncle who as few years ago was diagnosed with PTSD from Korea.  No wonder he was such an cranky ornery man for so long.

I remember in high school really grasping the reality of war.  The first Gulf war was on at the time and someone I knew in school was 18 and in the reserves at the time.  It dawned on me then that she could go to war.

I spent 2 summers working as a civilian summer student at the military base.  I learned a lot more what the life of a soldier is like.  I remember meeting a lovely woman the first summer.  By the next summer she was in Yugoslavia in a conflict zone.  I also met an interesting woman my second summer there.  Tough as nails and not well liked... but also gay.  I know this to be true as she told me.  But, I also know she suffered a lot for it once she was caught with another woman.

When I was in university my boyfriend at the time joined the reserves.  Amazingly, all these years later, he is still at it.  Good for him.

Recently, I have gotten to know someone at work.  She is a veteran of the forces.  She and her husband (who is still in uniform) both live with PTSD from their tours of duty.