ANZAC Day 2020

Tomorrow is ANZAC Day. Every year people gather in huge numbers, in major cities, in country towns, in ex-pat communities around the world, to commemorate the Diggers from Australia and New Zealand. Not this year, though. This year will be different.

We will still commemorate, but it will be more private. Residents of a street standing in their driveways. Members of a household standing for a minutes silence. There will be no grand pageantry. But I think that's somehow just as fitting.

For me, ANZAC Day has always been about the moments of solitude, remembering those who fought, who maybe didn't come home, or came home completely changed by the experience. Many returning soldiers, especially from World War II, don't like to speak about what happened to them. My grandfather never talked about it. All I have are his service records to show something of what he did. They don't want to burden their loved ones with the horrors of war.

While I don't think it is healthy for anyone to keep completely silent about the traumas they have endured, regardless of the type of trauma, I do think it's important for us, the civilian population, to cherish those moments of silence, to reflect, and to consider the impact of those events on the people, on our communities and our countries as a whole.

With our World War I ANZACs all gone, and our World War II vets low in number, it is up to us to remember, to commemorate and to carry the baton forward. We must use our moments of solemnity to bring to mind the reasons for their sacrifice, the lessons learned from these tragedies and the promise we must make not only to ourselves but to our family, our friends and our future generations to not repeat the mistakes of history, to not surrender an entire generation to the futility of war, and to not ever be at peace with the loss of so many for the sake of greed and selfishness.

Lest we forget.

A Christmas Reminder

This holiday season, don’t forget that people often put on a happy face to save from bringing everyone else down. They don’t want to be the reason you’re Christmas isn’t the most magical it can be, and they don’t want to take you away from the joyousness of ringing in a new year.

But don’t forget that doing this is exhausting and impossible to keep up 24/7. Sometimes the chunks in the armour will show. Sometimes a greeting will be a little rusty. Sometimes the spark just can’t be generated.

So don’t forget: don’t make people feel bad for leaving the party early, or being a bit quiet at work, or just needing some alone time.

Don’t forget that the holiday season can be hard for a lot of people, even if they don’t have anxiety or depression. They may be remembering a loved one who’s no longer around. They may be struggling to make ends meet. They may be missing something they’ve never had.

Don’t forget that we all have our moments when life is just too much. We are overwhelmed by a thought, a situation, a feeling. We can’t always be strong and hopeful and optimistic.

But also don’t forget that they do need you, and it’s not the grand gestures that people need. They do appreciate that you picked up the kids so they could have a shower. They do appreciate that you fielded that call when there’s mountains of paperwork to do. They do appreciate that you thought to invite them, even if they can’t make it. And they appreciate you listening to the story you’ve heard a hundred times before.

So don’t forget, in what can be a very commercialised time of year, that some of the best gifts can’t be bought at the shops. They’re found at the bottom of your heart, wrapped in love and tied with the strings that bind us together.

And, lastly, don’t forget to spread your gifts throughout the year because while this time of year is special in so many ways, it doesn’t mean you aren’t special every single day and you have the power to spread that gift whenever and wherever you so choose.