A Reminder along the way ...

Today started early ... I left my mom's house before dawn to make my way to Ottawa ... I stopped for a coffee east of Toronto in the mid-morning at one of the service centres that lie along the 401 ...

I noticed his camoflague uniform first ... he was out of place standing in the uniform in the middle of a parking lot in March ... then I noticed the police car in front of him, and the long black hearse behind him ...

He was escorting a comrade, and perhaps a friend on his final journey home.

One of the four who fell in Afghanistan this past week was making his way home ... I wiped away a tear, then said a prayer for the unknown soldier and his family ... and I continued on my way ...

An hour later, I noticed the police and fire personnel lining the overpasses on the highway ... with vehicle lights flashing and dress uniforms on, they stood out ... I noticed the approach of the OPP cruiser behind me and pulled over ... I stepped out of my car and stood on the side of a cold and windy highway as the small entourage of vehicles zoomed passed ... I would have saluted, but the tear that rolled down my cheek for a life that ended too soon was my tribute ...

Still later I caught up to the entourage ... there were a half a dozen vehicles driving together a respectful distance behind the hearse ... I watched as firefighters and police officers stood at attention as the entourage passed ...

There are few words to describe the mix of emotions I felt this morning on my way to our Nation's Capital ... sadness at the loss of too many of our young men and women, not just in this war, but in ALL wars ... frustration that we can't find a better way to solve our problems ... anticipation at visiting the War Memorial and the Police Memorial ... and a sense of peace that we have men and women in uniforms here at home and overseas who understand what it means to stand up for our values and for our freedom and who want to not only preserve those values, but see them shared by ALL People ...

Today a young man came home ... and for the briefest of moments along the way, WE REMEMBERED !!!