Remembrance. But some people don't remember

Today is Remembrance Sunday and I am sat writing this blog post watching the service from the Cenotaph. I went to the Cenotaph last year for the service and it was truly memorable. I always feel extremely proud to be British when I see the service but actually being there last year made me feel a deep pride that I have never felt before.

I buy a poppy every year and have done all of my life. I can remember being in primary school and sticking it onto my jumper with sellotape because I always seemed to lose it if I used the pin that came with it. Nowadays I use a safety pin if I have one. If not I go through about three or four poppies but I do not mind buying more as the money is going to a great cause and it is a cause I will always support.

I just wish that there were more people like me that understood the significance and importance of wearing a poppy. I am by no means saying that there is only a small number of people that wear a poppy. I was however shocked this year by the amount of people that I saw that were not wearing one. Even if it was just walking down the street or through uni, the number of people wearing poppies was much less than those that were not.

I have always been of the opinion that there is absolutely no excuse to not wear a poppy and to wear it with pride.

Another thing that baffles me and annoys me is the disrespect of some people during the two minute silence on Armistice Day. I was at home for the silence this year because the uni did not hold a silence. One thing that angers me but I won't start ranting about that now. Aside from uni, I was told that many people were not taking any notice of the silence in shops.

I have seen it first hand when I worked for Tesco. I worked on Remembrance Sunday and we stopped for a two minute silence at 11. As soon as the clock struck, the tills stopped, I stopped serving and like I do every year took two minutes to remember those fighting and those that have fought for their country. This, for some people had no importance and while the majority of shoppers stopped, there were a minority that decided their weekly food shop was much more important. It just find it extremely ignorant and unnecessary.

Watching the Remembrance Service really puts things into perspective and makes you realise just how important putting your money in the pot and wearing a poppy is.