The following is copied from his website and appears in quotes:
" On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the store’s PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.
Terry was impressed with the store’s leadership role in adopting the Legion’s “two minutes of silence” initiative. He felt that the store’s contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.
When eleven o’clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the “two minutes of silence” to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.
Terry’s anger towards the father for trying to engage the store’s clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, “A Pittance of Time”. Terry later recorded “A Pittance of Time” and included it on his full-length music CD, “The Power of the Dream”.
The following lyrics will have you bawling. Be ready and have many tissues!
A Pittance of Time Lyrics:
A Pittance of Time |
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They fought and some died for their homeland
They fought and some died now it’s our land
Look at his little child, there’s no fear in her eyes
Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?
Take two minutes, would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.
It’s a pittance of time
God forgive me for wanting to strike him
Give me strength so as not to be like him
My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips
My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists
But two minutes I will bide
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.
It’s a pittance of time
Read the letters and poems of the heroes at home
They have casualties, battles, and fears of their own
There’s a price to be paid if you go, if you stay
Freedom is fought for and won in numerous ways
Take two minutes would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls all over
May we never forget our young become vets
At the end of the line it’s a pittance of time
It takes courage to fight in your own war
It takes courage to fight someone else’s war
Our peacekeepers tell of their own living hell
They bring hope to foreign lands that the hatemongers can’t kill.
Take two minutes, would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who go over
In peacetime our best still don battle dress
And lay their lives on the line.
It’s a pittance of time
In Peace may they rest, lest we forget why they died.
Take a pittance of time.
And now the actual song and video. Please note the participation of actual veterans from the Royal Canadian Legion Todmorden Branch #10 and Woodbine Height Branch #2 in the video.
A Pittance of Time
Wow! Kymber that was spectacularly moving. I was really surprised when the young father showed a sense of remorse and changed his actions. Up until then I felt so sorry for the little girl who recognized her father was being an unfeeling jerk.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kymber. Have a great day. It will be a Little Bit and Papa day for us. We're to attend the movie Puss n' Boots...yeah...he said as Little Bit sits on the back of his chair read over his shoulder...
ReplyDeleteAgain How Awesome....I wish more businesses would do the two minutes of silence...Thanks Kymber
ReplyDeletekymber played this for me years ago. i have never served. my wife has. thank you babe, thank you for your service.
ReplyDeletetoday is remembrance day. i didn't appreciate it nearly as much before i met kymber as i do now. she served her country for 10 years and spent 6 long months in arctic darkness, serving in the most northerly permanent settlement in the world - twice. i can't imagine it. she did it without question. she was a soldier and is still is, she is a veteran. i am so proud of her.
many of you who visit this blog are veterans and today i salute you all, thank you for your service. thank you for enduring harsh training, for going wherever it was you were posted and doing whatever was required for the safety of your country and it's citizens. THANK YOU for being willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.
and to all that have died before, are fighting now, and may fall in the future, thank you...
thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you Kymber. Thank you for being you, for your service and for being the light and joy in the blog world that touches so many.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a powerful tribute and although the dad in this story was the one who ignored those that have stood so tall...we have a large group ignoring our veterans that make this song as applicable as before.
May we all decide that instead of a moment of silence on one day- that we begin to change how we raise the next generation. May we decide the time to appreciate those that serve is before they serve while they are children. May we teach the little ones about Veterans homes and hospitals when they have reports due or class field trips...may we change the next generation not by the free meals offered to veterans all over, but by our nations standing tall for the veterans and appreciating them as they serve instead of seeing them as collective bodies.
May we never forget that we are able to move about so free, marry or not as we desire, populate with a zillion kids or none at all...all the while working, slepping, educating, going off grid-thanks to someone before that stood with a weapon in his or her hand saying BACK OFF... Someone stood so we can do or not do pretty much anything we want. And although you are my Canadian friends we-- both share so much that much of the world has no idea exists-all because some stood when they did not have to. Some said yes, when they could have said no.
Thank you Kymber and to all those that have worn the uniform...you have my utmost respect and appreciation.
Jennifer
Ms Kymber Thank you for serving your country.
ReplyDeleteKymber, Thanks for posting, I had heard the song a few years back and it was good to hear it again, have a good day my friend.
ReplyDeleteKymber, I would love sometime to hear your tales about your years of military service, especially serving at the Artic Circle...
ReplyDeleteThank you kymber for serving your country.
ReplyDeletethank you Ms. Kymber for your service. I am an American disabled veteran and I really appreciate your post.
ReplyDeletethere are many ways to serve ones' country Mr. jambaloney and I am certain you have done your share.
thank you both,
the mohave rat
Thank you Kymber, for your service. And for the song. That is the first time I have ever heard it. And I thank all of those that are serving, and have served.
ReplyDeleteAnd for those that have passed, my nephew is in good company. God bless all of you. And, again. Thank you.
PracticalP - it was spectacularly moving! and apparently the way the video shows it is how the whole incident played out. so the young father DID show remorse. thank goodness that he learned!
ReplyDeletemmasse - allium cepa strikes again - damned allium cepa!
Stephen - i can't think of a better way to spend Remembrance Day/Veteran's Day - i sure hope that you enjoyed!
JUGM - i think that the 2 mins of silence is mandatory for businesses here...i will have to look into it.
Jemnnifer - your comment is a blog post all unto itself. i agree 100% with all that you have said and may ask for permission to post your comment during next year's Remembrance Day/Veteran's Day week. you are soo right that we need to start treating our soldiers and vets while we are bringing them up...and that we need to instill a love of them in ordinary children.
as always - your comments reflect my heart.
thank you so much Rob. i would do it again in a heartbeat.
Duke, Sir, thank you for your service. and i am very glad that you enjoyed the video/song.
JUGM - heh. maybe there are some posts about that coming up...i love the posts that Duke does about previous service. so maybe i will do a few. i got some corny pics if nothing else!
Mamma Bear - i very much appreciate that.
Mohave Rat - you do me an incredible honour posting here. there are too many people here in my country to name individually - but we ALL appreciate your sacrifice and service!
and thank you very much for acknowledging the many different ways to serve. you, Sir, are a true gentleman!
Flier - i stand with you thanking all of those who are serving and have served. and i thank you for your sacrifice. and yes - your nephew is in very good company. thank you, Sir!
thank you all for these touching and personal comments. it is such a wonderful thing to find out that there are such lovely people left in the world. thank you.
thanks mohave rat for the sentiment. i was an IT contractor for the government for years and always tried to do what was best for the taxpayers, not the politicians.
ReplyDeletestill a far cry from serving, though.