Happy Veteran's Day

Plastic Poppys, originally uploaded by alistair_uk.

I always miss being in England at this time of year. I miss Bonfire night, I miss the smell of woodsmoke, I miss the gloom of the shortened days, but one thing I really miss are the red poppies that beak up that gloom.
Rememberance day is a holiday everyone in England is aware of. It seems that everywhere you look, old grandmothers and playschoolers alike are sporting red poppies on their lapels. I'm not sure why we don't give Veteran's day the same reverence here. Maybe it's because America in general was not impacted in the same way by WWII as England was. I could go on and on about these theories of mine but I fear I may lose your interest dear blog reader. I love comparing my actual homeland with my adopted homeland but I realize everyone doesn't share my fascination!
So I what I will share is why Veteran's day is important to me. Both of my Grandfathers were WWII veterans, my husband is a veteran and his father is a veteran. I think of all of the men and women who are in harm's way at this very moment who have earned the right to share that title and I wish it were for a cause as noble as WWII.
My Brisitsh friend Lisa once said to me that she thinks of the Poppy as a sad flower. I see it as a symbol of hope. Poppies can and do grow everywhere in England. They are huge, they are tough and they survive. The poppy is the state flower of my home state of California. They brighten the grey rivers of asphalt highways they grow along. They are happy surviviors.
So on this day, take a moment to consider all of the men and women who have given so much. Think of a small island country full of poppies and what they went through and survived not so long ago. And know that in our own way, we are all survivors.