Why the poppy?

Today at work I was approached by two tourists in our lobby. They asked me why everyone was wearing these flowers on our jackets. I know the poppy is typically a Canadian thing and is also used by the British as well, but I was kind of surprised they didn't know what they were for or seen them before. As I was about to tell them I noticed their countries flag on their stuff...Germany. How do you tell someone from Germany that these poppies are to remember our vets and they also signify the end of WW1? The first world war where everyone got together to fight your country. Oh not to mention the second one too. I did answer them of course. But it got me thinking. We honor those that fought for the freedom of all. At least that's the way we look at it. Britain and Canada both have Remembrance Day, the US has Veteran's Day. On November 19th is Volkstrauertag, the German National Day of Mourning. Its the day they honor those killed in WW1. A combined number of all countries involved in WW1 puts the numbers at 8 million dead, 19.5 million injured. Do you even want to know about WW2? An estimated 50 million people, soldiers and civilians alike killed in WW2! That's what I use to think about when I wore a poppy. That was until a few years ago. It was closing in on Remeberance Day and I was talking to a guy probably in his late 40s. I had made some casual remark about Remembrance Day, he told me what he did on Nov 11. He gets together with a few of his 'war buddies' and goes to the Veteran's Hospital. I was like, hold on, your a Vet? He was, and he told me how they go visit the guys in the hospital injured in war, the 20 year old kids he called them. 20 year old Vets! My perspective changed that day and I have a lot more respect for those who have died in wars. The new and the old. Today I thought again. Maybe I should be remembering those on the other side. The Germans, the Japanese, the Vietnamese.... I think I could go on. What about wars we don't know about? What about the innocent? Everyone knows about the holocaust, but did you know that in China and the former USSR 97 million people were killed under communist rule? So why do we as Canadians wear a poppy? Or better yet, why do you?


IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army