Lest We Forget

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada. We thank those who gave up their lives and freedom in the service of keeping us free. I thank my grandfather and everyone’s grandmothers and grandfathers who gave their life and energy so I could be free. I thank those who never got the chance to be parents or grandparents. I hug my kids tight and gave thanks.

I celebrated—and remembered and mourned—while at home, warm and comfortable in my jammies. I imagine that those who died in the trenches would like it that way. They gave their life so I could be free and at ease; so we could all be free to live in whatever way makes us happy.

But how free are we? Do we live the possibilities made possible by the actions of those heroes? Or do we disrespect their sacrifice by wasting our lives mired in unhappiness, stuck in excuse-land?

Imagine these people looking down on us right now. What do they see? Us living our lives to the utmost? Honoring our freedom and understanding its privilege? Or are we lounging around whining that the car’s not big enough and work is too hard; that the kids are trouble and the spouse too fat? Blaming everyone and everything, committed to unhappiness.

Toni Morrison said that "the function of freedom is to free someone else." Our job as free people is to free someone else. One at a time or by the hundreds—it doesn’t matter. You can free someone physically or mentally. Freeing someone else can mean helping find their own power, or learn about love. You don’t need to proselytize or even convince. Your work can be as simple as mentoring—modeling appropriate behaviour.

Escaping a prison of the mind can be difficult, but it’s ultimately worth the effort. Enjoy your joy, minimize your sorrows, and show off your happy life! 

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.

Mahatma Gandhi