Something on my Mind: That Big Day is Just Around the Corner (1)

I think the heading is a little unclear. After all, which Big Day am I referring to? Calgary Olympic Plebiscite? Ritchie Brothers Auction? American Thanksgiving? Black Friday? Your birthday? Our anniversary?

The answer could be Yes to each them, though I am thinking of yet another Big Day.

Each of these Big Days are legitimate, and could be a big part of anyone's schedule between now and the end of next month. Who knows, you might have one or two more yourself.

As I write, there is the Calgary Olympic 2026 vote that will be one and done by the end of today (the vote, that is). As much as I don't have a "dog in this fight," I do have an opinion. I won't tell you outright, of course, but let's just say that it rhymes with "oh-oh."

[News flash: the "No" vote won. Yea!]

Then there's the Big Day stateside: American Thanksgiving. I don't know why they are always a few days or weeks after us Canadians, in terms of some holidays, but it's not mine to question—nor to enjoy. Any time there is a reason to be thankful, be it in one's heart or home, or on a national plain, I'm in.

While I am bi-national (Canadian and Irish), I am not that other one--Canadian and American. But if you can celebrate Thanksgiving twice this fall, go for it. I have a sister-in-law who's American, so maybe I will show up on her doorstep soon for a couple bites of turkey.

Question: If I celebrated it online, would that be "bytes" of turkey?

Another Big Day for many is around this same time of year. It happens on the Friday right after American Thanksgiving. It's called Black Friday (while the name strikes me as strange, though I think it has an economical basis: they are not "in the red" [bad]; and hope to be "in the black" [good]). For myself, I think with all the super deals in the stores, it should have been called "Happy, Happy Friday"—both for the retailers and consumers.

But the really Big Day on my schedule is Christmas Day. Because I do not celebrate Thanksgiving south of the border, nor have I ever ventured into any big box stores for Happy, Happy Friday, neither day is a Big day for me.

Christmas Day, though, is sort of a combination of Thanksgiving (turkey and family (or would that be turkey and turkeys?]) and Happy, Happy Friday (making major purchases, which could become gifts). Turkey and gifts, can it get any more Christmassy than that?

Well, actually, it can, but I'll leave that for now.

I recognize that Canada is clearly a post-Christian society and has been for decades, if not for a generation or two. That means that the Christian angle on this big day doesn't count for much anymore. On the other hand, I also recognize that Christmas, in its most minimalistic sense, was both a historical and biblical event. That being said, it has certainly strayed far from its origins.

From my corner, though, I see there are even faith-based people who will have nothing to do with December's Big Day. " Too commercialized," they say. Agreed. "Too secular," they say. Agreed. "Too materialistic," they say. Agreed.

But that doesn't mean we need to do nothing to celebrate it. That's far too shortsighted for my liking. Any reason to celebrate the birth Christ is good, no matter how you slice it.

Then on the other side of the divide, there is a growing movement to completely shut down any historical and biblical reference to the Big Day. I see that as a bizarre response of the highest order. After all, many of us who celebrate don't "celebrate" Hallowe'en; we just ignore it and let others get on with it. I think that's reasonable.

Despite my interest in the Big Day, I am not prepared to wish one and all a "Very Merry Big Day," though. I'll keep "Christ" in Christmas forever, and will continue to wish one and all a "Merry Christmas."

Something on my Mind: Short Days Ago We lived (2)

Remembrance Day is over, but let's try to retain what the day stands for. It would be good to have the memory linger for a long time.

It's much like Christmas, isn't it, though I don't want to cheapen the grimness of pain with the glibness of pleasure.

We spend a lot of time gearing up for that one day, then poof, it's gone. I have always wished that the goodness of that day would linger for the weeks and months that follow—you know, "goodwill to all men" and all that.

One of my greatest sources for history is a magazine, Canada's History (CH), formerly known as the The Beaver. CH has been ramping up the war articles in the last two to three issues, this being the 100^th anniversary of the end of WW I.

I have been intrigued with their focus on the human element, something many of us forget. Those who fought in the two great wars, plus other major skirmishes, were just ordinary, common people. They came from every temperament, trade and town, across our land.

Have you ever thought what our world would like if the Germans hadn't been stopped in World War II? It's hard to imagine even thinking like that because the Germans are now so much a part and parcel of our culture. It seems so stupid and senseless to be blowing each other up, killing each other at random, then only a few years later we're all colleagues.

But the ugly fact is, the enemy (then) had to be stopped. Same thing with the Japanese: The bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima was not your average fist fight. Was it necessary? If not what would have happened if the Japanese hadn't been stopped with those bombs? Comparing then to now, it seems strange that our enemies are now our friends. .

Consider the following:

One, for an evil to be stopped, another greater force must confront it. No resistance, no freedom. We all need to sit up, stand up, and speak up, for our freedom--if we cherish it. It's easy to come up with all the answers from the comfort of our easy chairs when we're not directly involved, or hiding behind goofy placards and senseless protests. Armchair soldiers are the bane of all wars.

Two, the guys in the trenches are just ordinary fellows. They didn't invent the war; they were just following orders from higher authorities. I am not saying they were innocent participants. I am saying is that any war crimes should be levied against the ones who didn't necessarily commit them but directed them, namely, those same higher authorities. (Figure that one out.) The Nuremberg Trials are a good example of that.

Three, if you cannot support the war effort by joining the army, at least do something to show your support. One of those flag decals on the back of your car is a good place to start. Maybe age, physical ability, even conscience, may not allow one to be actively involved, but there are other creative ways to affirm the soldiers.

A standing army is necessary, no question about it. To protest its purpose is irresponsible and immature. We have freedoms across our land for which our soldiers fought and died for. And the sad thing is, these freedoms are fading through this next generation that just doesn't get what true freedom is.

I agree with a medical doctor from Canada, , John McCrae (author of "In Flander's Fields"): "To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high."

Something on my Mind: Short Days Ago We Lived (1)

There are very few calendar events that move me like Remembrance Day. This year is no exception; in fact, it moves me more than usual, and I think I know why.

Valentine's Day, with all its promises, comes and goes; Christmas, with all its wide commercialism and narrow historicity, comes and goes. Father's Day and Mother's Day, with their token acknowledgement of parents, in a culture where parents are often dishonoured, is good but hollow.

But Remembrance Day still has a ring to it, though perhaps not appreciated as much by, say, the green tree-huggers and other fellow-anarchists something I find terribly ironic. The fact that they can enjoy their freedom to protest is due to the origins of the event they are denouncing.

Re-stated: There are many freedoms in Canada and America that we enjoy because others have given their lives for those freedoms. This understanding must be lost on those NFL-kneelers, professional protesters, political activists, and others, that the very liberty they enjoy is because of war.

I hate war as much as anyone. I don't watch war movies or computer games, nor do I gloat over the bad guys versus the good guys, and the gore that's spilled. I think of myself a wuss, though my feelings towards war run much deeper than some shallow emotional experience.

I see war in some quarters as a necessary path for protecting freedom. I see war, then, as not so much about attacking what is wrong, but defending what is right.

Most wars in this world have involved blood and gore, guns and bombs, liberty and bondage, and life and death. Most, that is, but not all. There are literal wars, then there are figurative wars.

You see, there are wars that include philosophical differences; we speak of a war of words, attrition, and ideals. Wars of the wills, especially within a family context, and when they get carried away, could lead to domestic violence of one sort or another.

We speak of the current war in education, with property rights, and over gender issues. These are all very real battles, with two distinct sides, both convinced they are right. And yet without any blood being spilled--may they long continue.

But Remembrance Day, to be celebrated next Sunday (the actual date) or Monday (a civic holiday for many), is not quite so theoretical. And I don't draw my information from Hollywood, though occasionally they get it right. Too often they'll trivialize what really happened.

My information generally comes from articles, magazines and books. Somehow, those sources are able to distill the essence of most historical issues. Maybe not having to pander to the eye-gate or ear-gate allows the writer to get down to the bare facts.

I read recently that the three colours of the poppy—red, black and green—have some

significance. You likely know this, but I must have missed that over the years. Red is for the blood that was spilled on foreign soil; black is for the grief of the soldiers and their families; and green is for the new life in the new world that freedom brings.

Freedom? Have we truly entered into the freedom that they men and women gained for us?

With the mess that our world is in currently, I really wonder if it was worth it. To be sure, it has been worth it for the decades that followed each of the two major world wars. But I am thinking that the current trend of stripping away the freedoms of speech, choice, and religion, plus the sanctity of life, the permanence of traditional marriage—among many other essentials of a healthy society—casts a cloud of doubt over what these men and women fought for.

We tend to forget that. That's why acknowledging Remembrance Day is so important...lest we forget.

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