Free to travel: Remembering Remembrance Day

Like many Canadians, I spent the morning at the Royal Canadian Legion (Centennial Calgary Branch no. 285) to join my family and friends for the annual Remembrance Day memorial service. I listened attentively to the Hymns, the poems, the songs, and the speeches about the brave Canadians who have gone overseas to fight for our country and defend our freedoms. Hearing about the patriotic moments in our nation’s history when soldiers have traveled to obscure countries and far off corners to fight, defend, liberate, and peace-keep, I cannot help but feel proud and humbled. The memory of war should inspire peace and thus it is imperative that we hold on to these memories, memories of the bleakest moments in human history when fascism and communism degraded human life and trampled upon the spirit and dignity of humanity. When John McRae wrote the notable poem In Flanders Field, which holds great significance within our Canadian tradition, he touches on the fear held by those who live through war, and specifically by those who perish, that if they are forgotten then their death will have been in vain.

Perhaps some of this may seem a bit cliché, especially in an era of skepticism and conspiracies of manufactured wars and marketed patriotism, for us to honour war and celebrate our victories in spreading liberty and democracy. The concept of imposing these values and liberalizing nations is now often viewed as imperial, however in years past it was merely seen as necessary. Sitting in the Legion this morning moved me to realize just how fortunate we are to live in this free country, thanks in part to the veterans amongst the crowd. I imagined my great-grandfather, Ernst Malcolm, who forged his birth certificate to read 18 years, the minimum age required to fight for his country in the Second Boer War, which he survived only to be shot by a sniper at Vimy Ridge in 1917. Other Canadians landed on the beaches of France or Italy, liberated cities in Holland and Belgium, were stationed NATO and UN peacekeepers in Africa, or crossed the Pacific to prevent the spread of tyranny in the Far East.

Imagining the world in chaos and disarray, it is easy to feel a little guilty about the ease and comfort with which I can now visit these same locations. I travel for leisure, assured of my safety, and filled with excitement to explore and discover; whereas the brave men and women of generations past made the same journey for the purpose of wartime duty, unsure of their future, surrounded by fear and death. Instead I realize that it is not guilt I should feel, but instead joy that peace-treaties have been signed and a relative global balance of power exists, consequently so much of the world is stable, peaceful, open, and accessible to the Canadian traveler. This compared to just a generation or two ago, when such places were unimaginable for civilians to visit. 

I think my ancestors would be pleased that I went to South Africa to enjoy its natural beauty and the adventure it offers, I safely and easily roamed through Europe to discover its culture and history, and I visited the modern metropolitan cities of Asia, where I peacefully interacted with locals and bartered in their open markets. Just as we aspire for future generations to take these same liberties, perhaps in visiting Pyongyang’s Juche Tower, trekking through the Swat Valley, or marveling upon the Gebel Barkal pyramids in Sudan.

This piece is not meant to praise or condemn military actions; instead the thoughts expressed are merely those of gratitude to the Canadians before us who selflessly fought and gave their lives, not in vain, but instead in duty to make the future generations’ world, my world, safer and freer. If not for their bravery and boldness, the world would surely look very different today and the liberties we take for granted may not exist. Today I am just thankful that myself, a young Canadian woman, may enjoy the freedom to experience the many wonders that exist in those obscure countries and far off corners.

I thought it an appropriate inaugural piece for this International Travel page, to stop and consider how lucky we are for the ability see and experience the world outside the historical and traditional motives of mobility. Beyond trenches, battlefields, and ruins, today we can enjoy the geographical, natural, and cultural heritage of our planet. Not to negate the present battles, or take for granted any form of global stability, but just to seize the moment, embrace the opportunities available, and enjoy the experience. Lest we forget the ultimate sacrifices, and let us actualize the liberties bestowed upon us.