Our Remembrance commemoration this year was held under a heightened security alert following recent terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia. The British Ambassador  wisely decided to hold the Remembrance commemoration at 11 a.m. on November 11^th  in the Cathedral. Both the Sunday evening service and the Tuesday commemoration ran with military precision thanks to the careful and expert oversight of   Commander Nigel Smith RN and Staff Sergeant Stuart Nellis.

The security alert may have accounted for the drop in numbers at the Cathedral service on the Sunday evening. It might also mean that fewer of us are bothering to remember that the awful horror of war, like the poor, is always with us. That is even more reason why more of us rather than fewer and fewer should commemorate those who have died, and continue to die, making the ultimate sacrifice, keeping the world free and safe.

Too often we hear “Oh I couldn’t be bothered.” We would hardly think that way if others just could not make the effort to put themselves at risk for our safety and the wellbeing or our children.

Perhaps this accounts for the drop in church attendance generally both here and in the western world. “Why should I bother if there are others to do it for me?”

The fact is, no one can ‘do it’ for you. It is for each of us to take responsibility not only for ourselves by for the state of the world and the people around us.

“Can’t be botheredism” and “too busyitis” are   deadly diseases, the effects of which  overtake us before we are aware of what’s happening. If we don’t make the effort to keep our memory active and alive we shall very soon end up with terminal amnesia and lose control of our lives.  

                                                                                                            Alan G.D.Hayday