Anzac Day has become very popular again. When I was at high school, the gradual decline of war veterans seemed to suggest that the commemoration would go the way of other such days.....Empire Day, Armistice Day and so forth.
Its funny that we memorialise a battlefield defeat such as the ill-fated and ludicrously executed Dardenelles Campaign in WW1. But we do and it seems that Gallipoli symbolises something hidden within the national psyche. Maybe a hankering for meaning amidst the wanton commercialisation of our lives. Maybe a need for seriousness and quiet amidst all the noise. Perhaps there's even a religious element, the fallen taking on a sacrificial, atoning quality.
I like it though. I like things that buck the trend towards selfishness and hedonism. I like moments when reflection takes on a broader, sometimes transcendent nature.
Maybe the One Day of the Year should be everyday. But then again, wouldn't that spoil everything?
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