The eleventh day of the eleventh month, at the eleventh hour

A nation falls silent for 2 whole minutes.

Normally I'm sitting at my desk at work, waiting for the tannoy (what i learnt is known as the PA system in singapore) signal to signal the beginning and the end. No one moves or types on the keyboard as a mark of respect. It's a moment of poignant remembrance, for the fallen of the world wars but also more recent conflicts. I know singapore was a big story of WW2 and I recall my paternal grandfather telling us stories of the war. It felt real then. Now, in this country, war is still real. Every couple of weeks the news carry reports of another young soldier killed in the conflict, in a bid to secure the freedom of another country.

This year, today, we specifically remember how the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taketh away. May we find the courage to say, Blessed be the name of the Lord. He will make all things beautiful in His time. Amen.