What to do?

It's Remembrance Day next week. I have to decide. Do I attend the ceremony at the Cenotaph? Or watch it  on television in the  national Capital.?

My absence will be noticed. As a Councillor, I have  responsibility. It will be seen as disrespect.

Is it disrespect?

There are a couple of things  I don't like about the Aurora ceremony. I think they are disrespectful.

The symbolism of releasing white doves from a basket escapes me. It has nothing to do with Remembering. It's somebody's idea of improving  the service. Like it needs embellishment. .

Then there's the continuous procession of poppy wreaths being placed.  It seems like every business in town has purchased  a wreath. Owners get to place  them  on the Altar of Sacrifice. As if the honour  can be bought for the price of the wreath.

It's not how it used to be. The Mayors of Aurora, King and Whitchurch  laid  wreaths on behalf of our communities.

A Silver Cross Mother took her place with  dignitaries and laid a wreath.

Laying  a wreath had  meaning which  had nothing to do with who paid for the wreath.

It was not an opportunity to promote one's business.

These changes  struck a  wrong chord with me.  Yet....I've still gone to the Cenotaph.

Organisers are not bad people. They mean well.

But it  interferes with my contemplation of the meaning of the ceremony.

Which is simply, two minutes of silence in remembrance of those who died  and of the cruelty of their deaths.