National War Memorial of Canada

Tomb of the unknown soldier

Last week my husband had to be in our Nation's Capital of Ottawa for meetings.   So instead of him going alone, we decided to go together, and he would go to meetings and I would go and check out the sights of the city with out kids (woot woot).  I have wanted to go to the war memorial since I was a child. I watched the CBC or the National report every Remembrance day I could.  I for a big part of my life wanted to be a soldier, and become a paramedic or Army nurse.  I have always had a fascination with the world conflicts of the past and the present. 

National War Memorial 

Peace tribute

The back of the monument

I took a few photo's while I was there, but I did not take many as my Camera froze up.  It was -27 degree's celsius windchill the day I chose to roam around Ottawa. I nearly froze to death, but For me this was a life long dream to take pictures of this monument.  I stood before this HUGE memorial I had never realized how big this beautiful work of Art is. How detailed the statues are. I was blown away. My heart was heavy standing there.  2 years ago, we were in the Netherlands, we went to one of the many Canadian War grave sites, and Row after Row of young men, who paid the ultimate price so you and I could enjoy freedom.  My generation has very little knowledge of the cost of freedom. 
We don't understand the cost of human life, and we are unaware of the lasting effect from the loss of thousands of young men on our Country after the war.   Men and women came home and had to return to "normal" life.  I have watched documentary and combed through hundreds of books and local archives, trying to put a face to the stories, and dig deeper into lives of the individuals who served, sacrificed and died or survived.  I find that the older I get the more I appreciate those men and women who went over sea's with no idea whether or not they would be coming home.  It is my hope and prayer that I will never have to experience, what our Country, and Canadian people experienced watching our men leave, and return, wounded, mentally broken, suffering from "shell shock" or better known now as PTSD.  This monument, is more then just a snap shot of battle attire, this is a reminder that freedom, costs us all. The price is massive, and detailed. Families suffered, men suffered, and our Country was founded on men and women, who had seen great suffering, heard more noise then we could have ever imagined as bombs, mortars and gunfire that rang out on a daily basis, they returned and built our country.  They gave us morals to live by, lessons to learn, and I think our country needs to dig a little deeper into who we are as Canadians, as immigrants who assimilated and learned the languages of Canada, who did not change our laws to suit their individuals needs. They came, they fought, and they died for Canada.  They were the True Canadians, willing to die for a country that their ancestors or themselves personally had only just begun to know.   Generations later, has our government and people lost that identity.  Have we allowed minorities to bully their way into changing our beliefs and laws to suit their religious or personal needs...STAND UP CANADA!!   Lets put you in the trenches or battle fields and lay wounded in your own blood, and see who comes for you.  Foundations were laid, and it is my hope that we would not try to tear those down, to fulfill the needs of immigrants, unwilling to be Canadian.  Our country, and judicial systems were built on the foundations of an all knowing God. Our anthem, prayers in schools, were something we took pride in. 
I am nearly to the point I am ashamed to be a born Canadian, I do not take pride in my current Canada.  I take pride in the past, and the men and women who were willing to loose everything for their Canada.  Just my personal thought for the day. 

Blessings
Mommy AK