I have now experienced my second Canadian Remembrance Day and have had the honour to be tasked with documenting it once again, this time in the town of Bridgewater. Last year i shot the ceremonies in Mahone Bay and wrote on this site about my first impressions and the differences between how Nova Scotians approach this observance compared to my own experiences growing up with its American counterpart, Veterans Day.
I was no less impressed this year with the sincerity and solemnity present around the cenotaph. I will not belabour my points from last year's blog on my belief that Americans have lost much of the deeper significance of this day. This is not to say that Americans don't spend the day thanking a veteran for their service in their social media posts or show any less respect for the men and women in uniform who served their country. Maybe they even attended a local parade before heading out to Walmart or Target to take advantage of those great Veterans Day sales. If that sounds cynical, it's a fair cop i suppose. But Remembrance Day certainly isn't a time to take advantage of deep sales on appliances at the local strip mall. Nor should it be a theatre for political debate or protest. Nuf said!
Hundreds turned out on a beautiful mid-autumn day to remember those who have served and to reflect upon that eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Not the moment that started the Great War, but rather the moment the guns finally fell silent. Lest we forget...
(click on images for an enlarged gallery view)
All Photos ©David Sorcher 2019
All Rights Reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment