On the morning of Canada’s Remembrance Day, the city of Richmond in Vancouver, where I am, had endured a night of fierce winds. Finally, at dawn, the howling wind ceased, and the maple leaves swept down by the wind and rain lay quietly on the damp lawn, particularly bright red, like a field of poppies blooming in Flanders.

I lifted the blinds and saw that outside, after the rain, the sky was still overcast. The lead-gray clouds were partially scattered by the wind, while some remained piled together, heavy with tears of sadness, hanging in the sky.

At 8 o'clock, after breakfast, I hurried out to the Olympic Oval to attend a ZUMBA class, because today is Canada’s Remembrance Day, and according to past traditions, large commemorative events are held at the speed skating rink on this day.

Because today is Remembrance Day, I specifically wore a black sports outfit.

On the way to the Olympic Oval from No. 1 Road, unexpectedly, there were fewer cars than usual. The morning wind carried a hint of melancholy, flowing in through the car window. I felt conflicted about whether to wear a poppy flower on my black outfit to class.

As we all know, ZUMBA is a fitness dance that originated in South America and has become popular worldwide. South American dances are known for their spicy style, complemented by colorful costumes. When I walked into the classroom, I found that the instructor and most of the students were wearing black workout clothes. I stood in the front row and could clearly see all my dance partners in the mirror. I noticed that only one blonde Western woman wore a poppy flower, while others, including Indian, African, Mexican, and Chinese students, did not wear one. The entire classroom, dressed in black, felt more solemn than usual.

For most older Chinese immigrants, coming to Canada is like a piece of pottery that has been glazed and is difficult to adjust. Especially for new immigrants like me, who are older and not very proficient in English, facing huge cultural and language barriers. The memories learned from history textbooks in my native language about the two World Wars make it hard not to have complex feelings about the annual commemoration of Canada’s Remembrance Day. I also asked several friends whether to wear a poppy flower; some wore it, reasoning that it was to commemorate peace and pay tribute to soldiers! For some Chinese immigrants with military family backgrounds, their ancestors may have been on the opposite side of Canadian veterans, so it is rare to see older Chinese wearing poppy flowers in Richmond. Although older Chinese immigrants seldom wear poppy flowers, I specifically took a stroll around the commercial street in Richmond, such as the Chinese supermarket 88 Supermarket, where many Chinese-owned shops and restaurants in the Land Plaza closed for business on this day to show respect. Some Chinese clothing stores displayed models in their windows with the peace-seeking poppy flower pinned to their chests.

Unlike older immigrants, locally born Chinese children show a sense of identity with their birthplace, which is inseparable from the patriotic education they receive subtly in school from a young age. Although their original families are Chinese, they are like a melted glass, possessing strong plasticity. A few days ago, I saw several Chinese boys and girls in scout uniforms at the entrance of Richmond Center, wearing red flowers on their left chests, solemnly fundraising for veterans.

After the Zumba class, I went home to change into black clothes and took the SkyTrain to downtown Vancouver to participate in the Remembrance Day ceremony. For me, expressing respect through action is the highest form of tribute. Although black clothes are not as bright as poppy flowers, they represent my deepest mourning for those who sacrificed their lives for freedom and peace.

Like the Remembrance Day commemorative events I attended before the pandemic, today I once again witnessed the touching scene of over a thousand citizens gathering together to express their respect for countless active and retired soldiers who have silently contributed to our peaceful lives.

I quietly listened to prayers and speeches in the crowd and joined everyone in a two-minute moment of silence, offering white chrysanthemums and a bouquet woven from green pines. The Vancouver Bach Choir, led by Andy Greenwood, sang the national anthem, with the slow and majestic melody and lyrics calling out the voices of every Canadian who has immigrated here from around the world, as we all prayed together for Canada’s beauty, peace, and tranquility.

After the commemorative event, in the afternoon, I went to the Western supermarket SAFEWAY to buy daily necessities. After checking out, as I pushed my cart out the door, a handsome young man with blonde hair and blue eyes called out to me. He showed me a flyer featuring a soldier leaning against an injured soldier with a background of the Canadian maple leaf. My English is not good, and although the cover is printed with a lot of text, just this icon and a phrase I recognized, HONOUR THE FALLEN HELP THE LIVING, made me guess that this should be a charity organization raising funds for injured veterans.

As expected, the young man told me that this is the Canadian Wounded Warriors Association (WWC). On this special day, he was volunteering here to raise funds for WWC to help injured soldiers and those suffering from war-related trauma. He pointed to the flyer and explained to me: service dogs are the best recovery partners for these injured veterans. They not only play a positive role in the physical recovery of veterans but also provide emotional support, comforting their souls and helping them overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, allowing them to find meaning and happiness in life again. However, training a qualified service dog costs about $15,000, which requires many people’s generous donations. Would you be willing to contribute to the training of service dogs?

I looked at the service dog in the flyer, a golden retriever that looked almost identical to my dog MISO. I deeply understand the important role dogs play in providing comfort and companionship to humans. If my donation can alleviate the suffering of those tormented by war-related trauma and help them overcome anxiety and fear, I am willing to do my part.

So, without hesitation, I donated to this organization.

After the young man helped me complete the transaction, he introduced me to some other activities of the organization. I didn’t understand many of them, but there was one activity he particularly invited me to participate in called "Walk For The Wounded." He said: this is an opportunity for every peace-loving person to help, support, and care for injured soldiers and their families through action!

After writing this diary about Canada’s Remembrance Day 2023, it was already 11 o'clock at night. On Canada’s Remembrance Day, how many Chinese immigrants wear poppy flowers? Although I did not wear a poppy flower today, the flower of peace in my heart will never wither!

Photography by: ATLAN@灰℃📷 604.652.2260