11 Days of Remembrance: Armour From the Button Box

My great-gram had a button box that my mother accquired many years ago. Who doesn't love to rummage through old buttons? Of course, some of the buttons in the box captured my attention more than others, but not as much as one that's become very special to me.

In that button box were old Royal Canadian Air Force buttons. Does it really come as any surpise that they ended up in my posession? I only have one now as the others were put to alternate uses, such as a wine glass charm, or with other people, but there is one that I keep for a single, special purpose: It's my suit of armour.

A button as a suit of armour may come across as odd. How can something the size of a thumbnail hold so much power? The answer is surprisingly simple, or at least for me. Once upon a time, someone who was full of bravery and courage, much more than myself, wore that button on his uniform in situations that nightmares are made of. When I know that I'm going to be in a situation that makes me nervous or on edge, I'll take my suit of armour, and slip it into my pocket. Believe it or not, running my fingers over the Albatros and RCAF calms my nerves. I like to think that some of that bravery of old made its way into my button armour.

How something so small could have an impact so large I really can't explain beyond what I've already told, yet I think at the same time you can understand. To whoever wore my button on his tunic in the past, thank you for passing some of your courage on to me.


For more, please refer to my original 11 Days of Remembrance miniseries from November 2011.