The Poppies Grow...

A guy in a VFW hat was selling poppies at the Fred Meyer store on Sunday. He seemed a little like the lone Girl Scout on the last day of the cookie sale because I used to see groups from the Veterans of Foreign Wars selling them on every street corner downtown around Veterans Day. And vets were proud to wear them. This holiday has a different name in other countries…Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth and Europe.  But everywhere, it’s a day to honor and remember those who have served their country in times of war. It’s a day for the living.

Our country has been fighting in the Middle East since 1990. Almost 25 years have gone by with little progress being made on the political front. One tiny bright spot shines through those two and a half decades and that is the gain in our respect for those who have been in the service during wartime. Tens of thousands have been deployed and returned. An entire generation of young people, men and women, over 2.5 million, have served in the Middle East conflicts. To me that’s a staggering number.

Everyone who serves is not a hero.  That word is a bit over-used these days. But everyone who serves is worthy of our allegiance for their commitment. My grandfather volunteered during World War I but was turned down for flat-feet. He always regretted it. My father volunteered for WWII and served in the European Theater, including the D-Day invasion on June 6. He made a life-long career of it.

When I had the McConnell Company, we always took November 11 off…because I am a veteran and I got to decide. Many companies don’t recognize it as a holiday today. That bothers me. It’s a day of remembrance that most of our world shares. Its origin is from the signing of the armistice that ended World War I, the war to end all wars. It was the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month.

The poppies have become a symbol of that day almost 100 years ago when the world was at peace. “In Flanders Fields the poppies grow…” a poem written by a Canadian soldier, sparked the movement to recognize that day and those who have served. I’ve been to Flanders Fields and plan to go again soon, mostly to honor my father and his service. This year marks the anniversary of the day he walked under the Arc de Triomphe with hundreds of other Allied troops after they liberated Paris from Nazi tyranny. A time for celebration.

I am always moved to write on Veterans Day. Growing up in a military family instills a certain spirit in many children, as it did in me. My father was a role model in many ways but he and I had very different views about a lot of things…just not about serving your country. This place we call home is not perfect but it’s worth fighting for, if it comes to that. Keep your eyes out for those poppies, young and old. Wish the wearers a good day and tell them you’re proud of their service.  They deserve it.