Two Minutes of Remembrance

Several years ago I happened to be walking through the airport in London when the clock struck 11am on what they call Remembrance Sunday, the Sunday nearest Veterans Day.

Before that moment the airport was in total chaos, a mob of travelers rushing to catch their flights, announcements on the loudspeakers overlapping each other, crowds around the food counters demanding their orders, mothers scolding their children for bad behavior. A mess.

At exactly 11am the entire airport came to a complete stop. Every single person froze in their tracks and fell completely silent as if they were stuck in time. The whole airport went motionless for a full two minutes in remembrance of the members of the armed forces and civilians who have lost their lives at war. I have never seen anything like it before or since. A fascinating two minutes.