My grandfather’s youngest brother worked within 500 meters of where the bomb landed in Hiroshima. Miraculously, he survived. Their brother was a loyal American citizen. In other words, my American family dropped the bomb on their family in Japan. My parents and grandparents who were loyal first and second generation Canadians were wrongfully incarcerated by the Canadian government after Japan dropped the bomb on Pearl Harbour and for most of her life, my Aunt felt angry towards Japan and the Japanese people for that act.
I’ve had plenty of reasons to think about the impacts of war on my own family, and those of other families and nations. War has affected all of us, no one on this planet is excluded, even here on serene and peaceful Bowen Island. I invite you to think about how war has affected your family.
For the last three years, a growing number of Canadians and people on Bowen have been wearing a white poppy. And many people are wearing a red AND a white poppy, together. The two poppies represent two very complementary energies. The red poppy commemorates the deaths of Canadian military personnel in wars since 1914. The white poppy commemorates all victims of all wars including grandparents, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children. The white poppy also mourns the environmental devastation that war causes.
The white poppy represents a commitment to ending war and living in peace on our planet. It’s a commitment to finding new ways to build a better world of peace here in our Bowen Island community, in our nation and in the world. Wearing a red poppy and a white poppy says, “Remember the fallen, including civilians, and work for peace.”
White poppies are available by donation at the pharmacy. Each poppy costs $2 to produce, any donation greater than that helps provide white poppies free of charge to schools.
For more information on the white poppies: http://www.peacepoppies.ca
