Two years ago when Heather Campbell was sorting through a box of books she came across a Bible from her grandmother. Tucked inside was an envelope carrying a yellowing letter and a poppy from Flanders Fields sent during the First World War.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I discovered that poppy in the Bible it was like 香蕉视频直播� I don香蕉视频直播檛 know if this is going to sound silly 香蕉视频直播� it was almost like a tap on the shoulder, a quiet yet powerful whisper from the past,香蕉视频直播� Campbell said in a recent interview.

香蕉视频直播淚 was really quite shocked.香蕉视频直播�

That poppy was among the many flowers that her great-grandfather, lieutenant-colonel George Stephen Cantlie, sent home with letters to his family. Cantlie served as the first commander of the 42nd Battalion of the Royal Highlanders of Canada.

The flowers are now part of a touring exhibit called War Flowers that is on display at the Chateau Ramezay Historic Site and Museum of Montreal until early January. It will then move to Edmonton.

香蕉视频直播淭his exhibit tells stories in a way that balances hope and love with reality, reaching across continents,香蕉视频直播� said Campbell, who is a registered nurse in Toronto.

Cantlie enlisted when he was 48 years old in 1915. He fought in battles in Belgium and France.

He sent his wife and one of his five children pressed flowers from the battlefield with his letters.

In a recording shared by Campbell her late aunt Elspeth Angus, who was Cantlie香蕉视频直播檚 grand-daughter, describes how he came about his daily ritual.

香蕉视频直播淓very night, without fail while he was over there, he wrote two letters. During the day 香蕉视频直播� he would pick a flower no matter what it was, whether it was a dandelion or a rose, a forget-me-not, or a daisy, and put it between two pieces of paper that he had brought over with him and press it in a book to dry out so he could use it.香蕉视频直播�

The letters to his baby daughter Celia were only a few words long.

In one dated July 4, 1916, he wrote: 香蕉视频直播淒ear Wee Celia: With much love from Daddy. At the front Flanders. 1916.香蕉视频直播� Folded inside is a twig with red poppies.

Another letter dated 香蕉视频直播淔landers, At the Front. 28.6.16,香蕉视频直播� contains daisies. 香蕉视频直播淒ear Wee Celia,香蕉视频直播� it reads. 香蕉视频直播淔rom the trenches and shell holes with much love from Daddy.香蕉视频直播�

Campbell said the letters and flowers are 香蕉视频直播減robably a translatable story into any time of war, any type of adversity.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淢aybe this is a universal message to everyone that people do survive the best they can,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淭hey still can find beauty amidst things that are pretty horrific, and we should celebrate that and remember that. It香蕉视频直播檚 really symbolism, isn香蕉视频直播檛 it?香蕉视频直播�

Her mother described Cantlie as kind and gentle. He died aged 89 on Aug. 30, 1956, when Campbell was about two years old.

Campbell said her aunt recognized the historical significance of the letters she inherited and put the exhibition into motion.

Viveka Melki, the curator of War Flowers, said she was touched by the simplicity of the letters.

香蕉视频直播淭his man sends these letters even in the darkest of times. He sends them to his daughter as a symbol of beauty amongst darkness,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淗e doesn香蕉视频直播檛 write an extensive letter, but he writes what香蕉视频直播檚 essential 香蕉视频直播� I love you.香蕉视频直播�

Flowers are fragile but they still grew in the middle of battlefields, said Melki.

香蕉视频直播淔lowers are a strange thing, aren香蕉视频直播檛 they? They almost have a sacred quality to them.香蕉视频直播�

Nancy Holmes, associate professor of creative and critical studies at the University of British Columbia, said the flowers sent a message of hope.

香蕉视频直播淎nd if you send flowers to your family 香蕉视频直播� dried flowers or pressed flowers 香蕉视频直播� they are going to imagine that at least you are some place where there is flowers growing so it can香蕉视频直播檛 be that bad,香蕉视频直播� she added.

Stacey Barker, a historian at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, said flowers are not what come to mind when someone thinks about the First World War.

香蕉视频直播淵ou think about mechanized warfare and the horrors of the frontline and death and killing and these flowers are really a stark juxtaposition,香蕉视频直播� said Barker.

She said it was 香蕉视频直播渜uite poignant香蕉视频直播� that Cantlie found 香蕉视频直播渢hese little bits of life on the battlefield.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭hese little, beautiful, fragile things in the midst of absolute carnage and horror and devastation. He was able to find these living, beautiful, delicate things to send home.香蕉视频直播�

Hina Alam, The Canadian Press

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