It's not just a day off from school and work. It's a day to honor those who fought and are fighting for peace, freedom and safety. To remember those who gave their lives so others don't have to. It's a time to be grateful for our peace, freedom and safety.

I'm so grateful to live in a country where we have the freedoms that others only dream of.

I'm grateful that my husband doesn't have to use his medical training on foreign soil in muddy trenches.

I'm grateful that my children don't have to be sent to live with strangers in the country because that's safer than staying in the city during a bomb raid.

I'm grateful for my Great Uncle Gibb who was shot down during WWII.

I'm grateful for the countless others who have given and will give their lives so that my family and I can live in peace and safety.

Soldiers Cry
By Roland Majeau

Talk of trouble is sent through the country
And we need an army
To fight for the right
Young men enlist and are sent to the battle
To fight the offender and help our allies

And the young men cry Oh Canada
Well gladly go and fight for thee
And the young men cry Oh Canada
Well fight to keep you free

The battles raging
Gun fire is blazing
A tired young soldier is clinging to life
Hes ordered off
And obeys by advancing
No hope of returning from the enemy fire

And the soldier cries Oh Canada
If it must be so, Ill die for thee
And the soldier cries Oh Canada
Ill die to keep you free

And we all miss oh Canada
The land where we all used to be
And we all long for Canada
The true north
strong and free

And the soldier cries Oh Canada
If it must be so, Ill die for thee
And the soldier cries Oh Canada
Ill die to keep you free

Far away we had seen a great danger
And yet there's a danger much greater within
The noise we make as we constantly bicker
Would hush not a whisper if we listen to him

All the thousands cry Oh Canada
Is that why we have died for thee?
And the soldiers cry Oh Canada
We died to keep you free

And the soldier cries oh Canada
Be true
And strong
For me

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Here's the background story for this next song:

On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the stores 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 stores leadership role in adopting the Legions two minutes of silence initiative. He felt that the stores 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.

Terrys anger towards the father for trying to engage the stores clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time

A Pittance of Time
By Terry Kelly

They fought and some died for their homeland.
They fought and some died, now it's our land.
Look at his little child; there's no fear in her eyes.
Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It's a pittance of time,
For the boys and the girls who went over.
In peace may they rest, may we never
forget why they died.
It's a pittance of time.

God forgive me for wanting to strike him.
Give me strength so as not to be like him.
My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips,
My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists.

But two minutes I will bide.
It's a pittance of time,
For the boys and the girls who went over.
In peace may they rest.
May we never forget why they died.
It's a pittance of time.

Read the letters and poems of the heroes at home.
They have casualties, battles, and fears of their own.
There's a price to be paid if you go, if you stay.
Freedom's fought for and won in numerous ways.

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It's a pittance of time,
For the boys and the girls all over.
May we never forget, our young become vets.
At the end of the line,
It's a pittance of time.

It takes courage to fight in your own war.
It takes courage to fight someone else's war.
Our peacekeepers tell of their own living hell.
They bring hope to foreign lands that hate mongers can't kill.

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It's a pittance of time,
For the boys and the girls who go over.
In peacetime our best still don battle dress
And lay their lives on the line.
It's a pittance of time

In peace may they rest,
Lest we forget
why they died
It's a pittance of time

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In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

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