A lot of people reflect on where they are in their lives on New Year’s Day. Many people, especially when they start to get into the second half of their life-span reflect on their birthday. Some people ponder their life on their child’s birthday, or maybe their marriage anniversary.
My biggest day of reflection has always been July 1. Not because it is Canada’s birthday, nor because it is a holiday that breaks up the week. July 1 is the anniversary of the opening day of the Battle of the Somme at Beaumont-Hamel, France. 684 members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment died that day in 1916.
This is the first year that I have had my new little friend Achmed tagging along for my day of reflection. I am 41 years old, and based on the law of averages I am about half way to last call. This year my birthday gift from the universe was my new little friend Achmed, who is going to be my new passenger for the rest of the ride. At least if all goes well in Winnipeg (the nuclear blast zone) he will be, and really, if things don’t go well in Winnipeg (and they need to dig a new trench), it is not going to be much of a ride anyway, so he probably wouldn’t want to join in.
Lately he has been reminding me pretty regularly that he is there. Between the headaches, the fatigue and the chronic ear-ringing Achmed is starting to get on my nerves (I never actually meant that as a pun… but I guess it is kind of funny now…lol). I don’t know if the tiredness is related to Achmed directly or indirectly because he keeps me up and most of the time and does not allow me to get a full night’s sleep. Either way, in my opinion the tiredness is his fault.
So today, after I slept in and missed the service at the War Memorial, I took Achmed out on a long ride on my bike. It was a nice day for it, not too windy, not too hot, not too much traffic… a good day to be mounted on my steed and exploring the Greater St. John’s area. Riding a motorcycle clears my mind… it kind of has to, if you are not paying attention to what you are doing and everything around you… it could be lights out and you get to last call early.
One of my stops was Topsail Beach. For those of you who have never sat there on a nice day, I highly recommend it. And for those of you who don’t live here, spend some of your tourist dollars and come check it out! (I need to put that on the record, just in case I ever run for public office). Anyway, sitting there on the grass with ice cream dripping on me, I watched a couple of sailboats meander around the waves in the sun. It was as peaceful as the sunset I saw on Signal Hill the other evening, and there was enough of a breeze to drown out the ringing in my head… and for a little while I forgot that I had a little lad growing on the right side of my brain. It all made me think of the stark contrast of the battle field in France and the reason that July 1 was a holiday here in the first place, long before we even joined Canada. I can’t help but wonder how many people in our country today never even thought of Beaumont-Hamel and if they did, did they really remember.
If you are tipping your glass tonight, remember our lads who never came home, and those who did… and thank them.
From Achmed and Me… Live Life!
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