Well here it is.
November 11th.
Remembrance Day.
Today is a day in which we are supposed to remember the men and women who served and sacrificed for our country. It is a day we encourage every individual, young and old, to pause, to give thanks and to remember. After World War Two, Remembrance Day (also known as “Poppy Day” or “Veterans Day” in the United States of America) became a public holiday which is recognized as day of tribute to Veterans of both World War One and World War Two. Remembrance Day marks the end of fighting on the Western Front on November 11th, 1918. It has since become a day to remember the service and sacrifice of those who have died since World War 1.
Fear From a Failure
I’ve always tried my absolute best each and every year to remember and pay my respects for those men and women that fought and sacrificed their own lives for the freedom in which I have today. However I must admit that I feel that I’ve done a pretty shitty job at protecting, defending and honouring those very same men and women that are still with us today (or were with us prior to this Global Pandemic began).
I feel as if I failed the elderly against COVID-19. No, I don’t blame myself for not being able to fight off a deadly virus. I do however blame myself for not putting forth more of an effort to educate the ignorant on how easily contractible the coronavirus was and remains to be. And I do blame myself for not speaking out more against how selfish and how inhumane certain peoples’ actions were that surrounded me on a regular basis. And I do blame myself for the hundreds of thousands of Veterans that have died from a Virus that could have been stopped earlier or at least caused less damage, if I and many others had acted sooner.
Remorse of a Coward
When I look back over the past 20+ months there are quite a few things in which I wish I had done differently. Speaking out against the Anti-Maskers and Anti-Vaxxers isn’t one of the them though. In fact, I’m quite proud of myself for staying true to my values and my beliefs throughout this Global Pandemic. My Mom always told me to provide compassion and show support towards those who needed it. My Dad taught me to always listen to science instead of stupidity. And my morals and ethics that they both installed in me from an early age allowed me to make difficult decisions that had both positive and negative impacts on both my business and my personal life.
I used my words as weapons numerous times against the Anti-Mask Rallies and Anti-Vax Protests in my Weekly Blogs and Daily Social Media Posts. I made my stance on COVID-19 perfectly clear and have received hundreds of nasty DM’s from those that think differently than I do because of this. I lost clients who were upset with me when I came to the defence of our Provincial Health Officer here in British Columbia, Dr. Bonnie Henry when she made the difficult decision to shut down businesses and impose travel restrictions across the Province. I did what I felt was the right thing to do morally, even if it meant losing out financially.
However at the end of the day, I didn’t do enough. I should have been more outspoken. I should have used my social media platforms on a daily basis to shame and ridicule those who put others at risk due to their selfish and ignorant behaviour. I should have come to the defence of those that were trying to help and make a difference by working together. And I should have done it in a professional and educated manner.
But part of me was afraid that I would lose more business if I continued to speak out more often. And I’m deeply and forever will be ashamed for being more concerned at times as coming off as politically incorrect, then I was about protecting the lives of the elderly and immunocompromised.
The Battle Is Not Over Yet
COVID-19 is still with us today. And even though the vaccines for these viruses are being administered across the Globe as quickly as possible, I believe we will remain at battle with this deadly virus for the foreseeable future. And even though I can’t make up for some of my cowardly actions from the past, I can control how I choose to conduct myself moving forward in the future. And how I choose to conduct myself is as selfless human being rather than as a selfish business owner. I don’t give a rat’s ass if a client wants to leave our company because of the decisions that I make with regards to ensuring the safety of those around me. I would rather lose my business during this Global Pandemic if it meant lives would be saved, then profit by remaining open at the risk of people dying and/or becoming ill.
I think it’s ironic that today we honour, remember, and pay our respects to our Veterans who fought for our freedom, yet many of us can’t even put on a damn mask in a public crowded setting, or practice social distancing, or feel the need to bitch and complain about washing our hands a few extra times a day, in order to help keep these same Veterans safe.
“Patriotism is not dying for one’s country, it’s living for one’s country. And for humanity. Perhaps that is not as romantic, but it is better.”
Agnes Macphail
Yours in Good Health,
Nick Cosgrove
Forever Fit Performance