A good reminder

Re: The odds were against them, John Carswell, Jan. 16

I really enjoyed reading John Carswell's story about his dad who, at 19 years old, was flying bombing missions over Germany. It was moving and inspiring to read about the sacrifices made by so many young men. It reminds me once again what a great privilege it is to live in this great country, a privilege that a lot of us take for granted. And yet it had to be fought for and many made the ultimate sacrifice. We should be pondering that a bit more while we are complaining about the “COVID fatigue” and all the hardships that come with it. You know like having to stay home and watch hundreds of Netflix movies on our high definition 65-inch OLED televisions. Or having to endure any and all kinds of entertainment from music to reading to gaming via our high-speed internet. We are so hard done by.

Michael Poliacik, Toronto

Reading this article made me think of the present COVID situation in which contemporary young men and women are asked to do no more than wear masks to protect others (and themselves). A significant number consider this an infringement on personal freedom. They should be reminded of the sacrifices made by Mr. Carswell at that same age and participate eagerly in the protection of Canadians in the present crisis.

Robert Krell, MD, Vancouver