www.nb.legion.ca 47 NEWBRUNSWICKCOMMANDThe Royal Canadian Legion LégionRoyale CanadienneDIRECTIONNOUVEAU-BRUNSWICK The Bear of Remembrance I stood just out of view as my father put on his black combat boots and adjusted his beret, immediately bringing me back to my childhood at the age of 2, when my father was in the war-torn country of Afghanistan. I remember my eyes widening when I heard a knock on the door, bolting up the stairs as my growing excitement rushed through me. I watched from the foot of the stairs, seeing my mother take a small brown package from the mailman. Noticing my eagerness, he smiled before he turned and headed for his truck. His smile only increased my anticipation, as I had been waiting for the package to arrive for what seemed to be months. Standing in front of my mother, I peeked at the label on the package, its plain white surface and small font was all mixed letters to me, though, I didn’t need the label to tell me what it was. She knelt to reach my tiny figure, a small wave of sadness crossing over her features before she gave me a smile that seemed to be one of sympathy. Placing the package gently in the palms of my two hands, I quickly clutched it to my chest, seemingly afraid that it would disappear. I turned back around to face the stairs, carefully stepping over each stair with a newfound caution, trying not to disturb the insides of the package. Reaching the kitchen table, I slid the package over to my mother and sat down, my gaze fixated on the package as she pulled it open, reaching inside and pulling the stuffed animal out of the package. I leaned forward, barely being able to contain my excitement. “This is from your father,” she said, blinking away tears. “Even if you haven’t seen him in a while, he’s always with you and he is very proud of you.” “I know,” I mumbled, a brief sorrow clouding my vision before looking back at the bear. I stared at the bear, my smile never stirring as it’s tan uniform immediately caught my eye. As I noticed the beret, the cap badge reminded me of my father’s commitment to his county, the beret appearing to be as dark as the night sky. Reaching forward, I grabbed the bear, my grasp tightening on it as I wondered when my father would come home. My mother wiped a tear from her eye, firmly gripping my shoulder as I embraced the bear, a sudden sound emitting from its chest. “Hi Haley, this is daddy, daddy loves you, I’ll be home soon, can’t wait to see you!” the recording said, repeating twice before stopping. Although my comprehension of the struggles my father faced in Afghanistan was limited back then, my mother repeatedly reminded me of the importance of what the soldiers were doing. I had the privilege of receiving something while my father was away, a privilege few children had. In saying that, I will always hold the sacrifices the soldiers have made close to my heart as many should, as well as the families whose loved ones never returned home. It’s crucial that my generation remembers their sacrifices as they fought for our freedom Intermediate Essay/Rédaction intermédiaire Haley Cairns, Grade 9 student/élève de la 9e année - Oromocto High School As originally submitted for competition / Tel que soumis initialement au concours
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