Remember, remember

 

Remember, remember, the fifth of November,
Gunpowder treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

November is the season for remembrance. One way and another, the first two weeks of the month are a time to pause and reflect. This year, with large gatherings banned and national ceremonies cancelled, the annual focus on remembering has taken on a different form.

Small scale firework displays in back gardens have been a nightly feature in residential areas. In Highams Park, an act of remembrance was held outside the library this morning. Tomorrow similar ceremonies will take place around war memorials across the country. Next Tuesday, a poppy drop over the streets of Bedworth in Warwickshire will mark Armistice Day. Remembrance in 2020 is going local.

In 2020 the season of remembrance takes place in the shadow of COVID-19. This November, amid the fireworks, the bugle calls, and the poppies, many people continue to mourn the loss of those who have died in this year of pandemic. As the noise of fireworks fades and the bugle calls cease, at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will continue to remember them.