The Call to ArmsbyJacklynn MacKenzie |
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How privileged we all should be to live in a country of freedom, largely due to the sacrifices made by thousands of brave men and women during two world wars-men and women , who in some cases gave the ultimate-their life- so our freedom could be maintained. Often I think about these young men and women, who during conscription time, signed up, without thought of losing life or limb, to fight a war against an oppressor so far away, who treatened their freedom. What thoughts went through their young heads, when they went off to war-when they signed up to join the Army, Navy, Air Force or Merchant Marine? I often wonder what it would be like to be in their shoes. They were young men and women, just starting out in life, looking forward to a job, a career, a marriage, family - their whole life before them, with all that life entails. Some were so young they even lied about their age to enlist. Did they have any idea of the magnitude of the horrors that awaited them on the other side of the world? I am sure a lot, if not all of them were ill-prepared by any formal military training, but felt this was an obligation which they owed their country and fellow-countrymates. Today we see on television everyday, news of some war or hostility in a distant land. We see vividly recorded , the atrocities which occur-the bombing, the killing, the mutilation of humans by other so -called humans. It is far removed from us because we've never had to deal with it in our country. It seems so unreal-we watch, feel badly for awhile, then we forget-until the next hostility or confrontation or war takes place. These people who so willingly went to war, who left their families, friends and lovers to go halfway around the world, I don't think, had the faintest idea of what "War" was all about. How their hearts must have ached when they said their "Goodbyes" as did the hearts of those left behind. The tears shed by those who went to war and also those they left back at home, in reality, could probably fill the great ocean, which was to separate them. Do we ever stop for a moment and think about what happened over there?? About what these soldiers had to endure, fighting an enemy who tried to take over the entire world? Huddling in deep, dark, dirty trenches, with rifles and grenades and bullets by their side-up and over the trenches, onward with their fellow soldiers, taking up their guns, shooting another human being, running, crawling, hiding, dodging bullets, always keeping mindful of the land mines which could blow them to pieces at the next step forward. Doing this day after day, watching your buddies being maimed or killed beside uou. I cannot even begin to imagine what that felt like. But my father knew what it felt like-he was only l9 years old when he joined the army, just newly married and waiting for his first child (me) to be born.But he was gone off to fight in this war for me and all the other little mes in our country of Canada. He often told me of his battle scars, shrapnel in his spine, his head half blown off, now with a metal plate inside. I only know bits and pieces of what my father went through while serving in WW2, but I do know that he came back from the war a quite different young man , than the one who went there in l943. His scars on the outside were visible. It was the scars on the inside, the damage to his psychie which no one could see, which would torment him all through the rest of his life. He would drink to numb the pain of the memories of war, of friends and comrades he saw die beside him. I never understood why he drank, but the more I think about war, the more I begin to understand my father. I have 3 sons over the age of 30 and I pray they will never have to be involved in an armed conflict ever. I pray that the horrors of war some day will be no more, and that man will nevermore take up arms against his fellow man. I hope and pray that in the new Millennium, the countries of this world will learn to live peaceably, one with the other, that innocent men, women and children will nevermore be slain. Peace is what I hope for and pray for in the coming Millennium, but before this ever happens we must first learn how to foster peace with each other. We have no hope of peace within the nations of the world until man learns to live peaceably with his neighbour, his friend, his spouse and his children. May we love our enemy even as we love ourselves. |
| © 2004 Jacklynn MacKenzie |
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