Remembrance Day

This Sunday is Remembrance Day, the solemn occasion on which the dead of all wars are honored and, most importantly, remembered. It developed out of Armistice Day, the remembrance of the "Great War", ending on the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month ... in 1918, ninety-one years ago.

Remembrance Day manages to divide and unite (at the same time) communities all over Ireland - due to its British origin and its focus on soldiers fighting for the English crown. While nationalists abhor Remembrance Day, loyalists attach an importance to the day second only to July 12th. And what was conceived as an all-inclusive day of remembrance for the dead of wars past became a blatant advertisement for the madness of the war present in Northern Ireland - in Enniskillen in 1987.

Read up on Remembrance Day and feel free to ignore the ceremonies or to join in. After all, the shadows of grave markers in war cemeteries seem to be the same length, regardless of whichever nation, class, creed or race the living belonged to.

Photo © 2007 Bernd Biege licensed to About.com, Inc.