Remembering

Maybe I have just not noticed it before, but this year there seems to be much more controversy over 'the poppy'.  As I understand it, the whole idea of buying and wearing a poppy was originally to remember all those who had been killed in the two world wars.  As there are ongoing conflicts, it has now come to be a support for those even today who have been physically, mentally or emotionally affected by such events.  In itself, that is a good thing - to be of help where possible.  Although it would seem a bit unfair that the country expects troops to go into these situations (on our behalf, so they tell us) but when they need help, they have to depend on public charitable donations.

So it seems that, instead of one day of the year (Remembrance Day) when we wear a poppy and spend time thinking of the fallen and praying for their families and above all for peace, we have somehow come to think of it as a month when we support 'our heroes'.  As I said before, I am not against it per se but I just feel that the language and attitudes behind it all have become rather jingoistic and not about a search for peace.  It's as though the original meaning has been hijacked by mob-rule and we need to conform or be frowned upon.  (Where has our human right to make our own choices gone in this freedom we call democracy?)

I had a very dear uncle who died only a couple of years ago, who had been held in terrible conditions as a prisoner by the Japanese in WWII and when anyone spoke of the war, his comment was simply, 'War makes people on all sides do some terrible things.'  I think in remembering those who have suffered, we should also think of those caught up in many conflicts throughout the world and of those who suffer on all sides, whatever colour of skin or religion or any other cultural tendency they may have.

Some will be wearing the white poppy of peace but whether we wear a red poppy to remember those who suffer, a white poppy of peace or no poppy at all, above and beyond that, let's pray for peace in a world ravaged by war and learn how to share the planet as God intended His creation to do.  As David says in the Bible, 'Seek peace and pursue it.' (Psalm 34:14)