Memories forever

Remember remember the 11th of november. Any kid in the UK could quote that to you. It sometimes gets confused between the 5th November (Guy Fawkes night) and the 11th, but the 11th is by far one of the most important days in the nation's year. This year, our Simon was playing in Leigh, as chance would have it! So Sunday morning, myself and Andrew got dressed up in suits and walked into the centre to watch the procession. On Saturday night I went home and we watched the national events at the Albert Hall. We sat there saying 'well that's another war we shouldn't have entered into', 'that was a waste of too many lives'. Traditionally it is WWI that is remembered on Nov 11th, and with it WWII. But more and more now other wars are being taken into account and all the lives lost in the wars, with all the people it has affected. I was thinking about it a lot on Saturday night during the two minute silence, watching all the poppy petals fall to the ground-

This is one of the few days a year when the nation really goes all patriotic. For one day every year the whole country remember what it means to represent your country, to be linked to your nation as a whole. Religion and state are intertwined. Each year fewer and fewer men survive to tell the stories, but the nation wont let them forget. The cadets of the air force and army marched through Leigh, with a combination of brass bands merged together for the day. Old war heros, proudly displaying their medals, marching with the utmost respect and sincerity. Young beavers, girl guides, cubs and scouts- 'doing their best' for queen and country, as Lord Baden-Powell encouraged them to do, the promises etched onto my heart from when I was 7 years old. I used to love the processions when I was younger- singing the national anthem, processing to the Brass bands. These days I have a different understanding of the day but all in all- and I don't often say this- it's a day that I feel proud to be British.