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A Pittance of Time
On November 11, Canadians and citizens of other Commonwealth nations honour our military veterans and current individuals serving around the world with Remembrance Day. Specifically, ceremonies are scheduled to commemorate the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month because that was the date and time that WWI formally came to an end in 1918. In the United States, it is called Veteran’s Day and in other parts of the world, it is known as Armistice Day.
“A Pittance of Time” was written by Canadian singer/songwriter Terry Kelly. Please watch the video below to get a sense of what he feels is important to remember on this day.
This video is based on the songwriter’s own experiences. On November 11, 1999, in a drugstore in Nova Scotia, Terry Kelly surprisingly heard the store manager announce on the PA system that two-minutes of silence would be observed at 11:00 am to respect the sacrifices made by men and women who had served in our military. It was unusual to see this happen in the community outside of formal ceremonies at local cenotaphs or schools.
What are your thoughts on the manager’s decision to do this? What images or words in Terry Kelly’s video stand out the most for you? What message do they leave you with?
14 Responses to “A Pittance of Time”
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November 9th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
A Pittance of Time is a good video beacause it teaches you to stop and give 2 minuites of silince.
November 9th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
They leave me with message that 2 minutes is not that much time. Everyone should have at least that much time to stand in silence and remember the soldiers that lost there lives. The images that stood out are the pictures of the destruction that wars causes.
November 9th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hi,
I think that the manager might have really thought the people that risked their lives for us were heros. Maybe he was in the army or had a friend/relative that got killed in the war. I think the man was not very understanding of the war and how people died for our country. I don’t think he knows that life for us would probably not be free as it is or even free at all. Our country may be a war zone right now,if they did not risk their lives for us. In the end he looks like he realized that he may be wrong because he watches the soldiers as they pass.
November 9th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Hello Mrs. Braidwood. I agreed with the store manager to be quiet for 2 minutes so that they remember the people that died in the war.I liked the part when the soldiers spirits came out.It reminded me of people marching on Rememberance Day.Terry Kelly left me a message of his music,and his pictures it was really nice.
November 9th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I liked it when Terry Kelly told everyone in the store to be silent for two minutes because it was respectful to the people who fought in the war.The part that I remember is when the little girl saw all of the spirits of the soldiers walk by her.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I think it is a good idea to take 2 minutes anywhere because it is for the ones that died, lived and fought. Also just for our Canadian soldiers and at the least you could just be respectful.these words stand out to be because it is about our soldiers that have been there not only for there family’s but for Canada. No fear, In peace may they rest, Remember why they died, Never forget, It takes courage to fight, Take 2 minutes would you mind, Lay there lives on the line. Remember them and what they went through for us.
November 9th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Hi. Mrs.Braidwood I think the managers decision was a great idea. Not alot of store managers will do that. Like once my mom sister and I went to the store and we were the only people taking time to remember. I think it would me cool if a manager did that in the store I was at. That just made me upset because they fight for our lifes. I think the words that stand out to me in the song are “it’s a pittance of time”. Because the least we can do is remember them and it’s only 2 minites of are time. Well that’s it
November 9th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Hello everyone! I think that the store manager’s decision to have the 2 minutes of silence was a good idea because it is showing respect for the solders that went over to fight for our country. The message that I think Terry Kelly was trying to show is that we should always give thanks for the courage they had to fight for us. I thought the song was a good way to show Terry’s feelings about what this man did. The message that he left me with is that you should appreciate how people risked and lost their lives. Pay respect for them and show that you thank them. Two minutes doesn’t take much time out of your day!
November 9th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
I think it was a great idea for the manager to remind everyone that they should be silent for the two minutes. One of my favourite sentence is,” In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.” because we shouldn’t forget that they fought for us. I love how you can understand every word that he says in the song too.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:00 am
I think it was good idea to remember the people who died. The soldiers walking by the little girl stood
out to me. The people who died are still in our hearts today.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
That video makes me so sad because of all the Canadians that died.I bet Terry Kelly’s song make alot of peple sad!
November 15th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I think it was a good idea for the manager to tell everyone to be silent for 2 minutes. Maybe the manager knew someone who died in the war. I liked the part where the soldiers were walking past the girl and her dad. I’m guessing that Terry’s message was to respect the people who died to protect our country.
November 19th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
It’s really good that the manager told the guy to take 2 minutes of silence and my best part in the video is that the’re some soldiers walking past through the girl right beside her dad. Terry’s song is really touching and I like it.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I think that it was a good idea for the manager to say this because it is an important part of Remembrance Day to take 2 minutes of silence, whether at a ceremony or not. The part that stands out the most to me is when the soldiers are going by the little girl and her dad. I think that it was a good idea for him to make this song and video.