Remembering those we never knew

James has been asking a lot about war the past few days. I know they have been talking about it in school as Remembrance day is drawing near. Over dinner tonight, James asked if we had a 10 great grandpa that went to war. I told him that he had a two great grandpa that went to war. He gave me a surprised face. I asked him if he wanted to see a picture and he enthusiastically said yes. So I went and got out  my collection of family stuff about the war and showed him the picture of his Great Great Grandpa Neil Snow Forsyth, all dressed up in his uniform and another one of him standing with his war horse. I told him that he had served in WWI.

"In Canada?" he asked.
"Not right here in Canada, but he was fighting in the war to keep Canada safe" I told him.
Under those pictures was another picture, James asked if that was Neil too, I told him that it was Neil's son Rex. I told him how Rex was a navigator on a fighter plane in WWII. And that his plane was shot down.
"So he didn't make it home alive?" He asked.
"No, buddy, he didn't." I responded.
And with that he burst in to honest to goodness sad tears. My poor boy was heart broken over somebody he has only seen in a black and white photo. He made me cry too. And when I had gained some composure, I tried to explain to him that yes indeed it is sad, but that it is happy too, because Rex cared so much about other people, people he had never met before, and people who weren't even born yet, like James, that he went to war to keep us safe, and he was willing to give his life so that James would never have to know what war really was. Yes, it's sad, I told him, but that is why it is so important to go to remembrance day ceremonies, to sing songs, and to wear poppies. So that we can remember them and thank all those who went to war so that we could live in this beautiful country were we are safe and free.

My heart overflows with gratitude for these great men, and so many more who have given so much so that my kids have the pleasure of now living in this wonderful land.