Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 21 continued ... continued ... 1st Place Senior Essay, Malek Al Radi, Submitted by Colchester Branch 026, District F Note: Malek’s entry also won 1st Place at the national (across Canada) level. 2nd Place Senior Essay, Liliana Despres, Submitted by Colchester Branch 026, District F We need to hold the candle high. I don’t want to share something that I read or saw on television, I am going to tell you about my own experiences. When I was five years old, I was forced to move to another country because a war started in my own country. There were explosions near our home and planes bombing my village from the air. We were frightened and my family, my father and my mother, my four sisters, my two brothers, and I, we all had to flee. There was no time to pack. After we left, our house was bombed. I was so happy to go to Jordan, which was a safe country. I explored new things and met new people, but all the time I was thinking about when I would get back home. I thought we would be away for a few days or maybe a year, but unfortunately that was not the truth. The truth was, I did not go back because the war is still going on, and I am only sixteen. I have been away from my home for eleven years. I haven’t seen my country, my village, or my relatives. Even now, every time we read or hear news, it is still about who died, what terrible things are still going on, how expensive the war has been, and how money has lost its value and those who are left behind can hardly buy for their families. It is terrible to see your children hungry and not be able to do anything about it. My country is still suffering. I hope peace returns soon. I now go to school in Truro, Nova Scotia, and last week, we held a Remembrance Day service. We all wore our poppies, we sang O Canada, we had a visit from five veterans, some classes spoke about remembering, a wreath was placed at the front, but my favorite part was the Candle-lighting ceremony. We lit candles for our grandparents and families who died in war, for our friends and relatives in the armed services, and candles for peace. It was wonderful. It made me think that we need a light wherever it is dark, and that it is important to remember. Lighting a candle reminds me that in order to light it, there have to be good people and those good people must hold the light that will put out the darkness.
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