Devan Grewal is a grade 9 student in British Columbia who regularly contributes to the youthLEADarts blog.
Remembrance Day has come and gone and I hope everyone took some time to reflect. If you don’t know why we have this day, do your research and find out, or stick around and I’ll tell you.
Remembrance Day is about honouring those who have served and sacrificed in Canada’s military during times of war and conflict. These veterans left their homes and went to go fight for the peace of our country, so the least we can do is honour their sacrifice.
Every year on November 11th we take a moment of silence to honour them for what they have done for our country.
Every year for the past three years I have written a Remembrance Day poem and submitted it to the Royal Canadian Legion. I waited months for a result only to find out that my poems had not been selected.
Last year, however, I was doubting my abilities and feeling that I shouldn’t even enter because it was a waste of time and my poems were never chosen. Although I truly didn’t want to do it, my teacher told me to persevere and that it wasn’t about winning but it was about learning and improving each time. I entered and surprisingly I won! I couldn’t believe that the year I won was the year I had most doubted myself.
I learned a valuable lesson: to never doubt your abilities because with hard work and determination you can do almost anything that seems impossible. Norren Qasim says it best, “There is no failure. You win or you learn. Either is okay.”
That is not the only thing I learned though, I also learned about the history of Remembrance Day and about different battles that took place and that war is a lot more horrifying than we think.
So next time you put on a poppy or have a moment of silence, remember what it’s really all about and the sacrifices people made for our freedom. Remembrance Day is not just a day off, it’s a day to remember.