A Day To Remember And Honor
(photo courtesy Billion Graves Blog)
Pop Quiz (select one)
The holiday/weekend of Memorial Day:
a) the time period begins it is acceptable to wear white clothing
b) is the unofficial start to Summer (which actually begins next month according to the calendar)
c) is the day that we as a country, remember and honor all men and women in the military who died while serving in the military defending the United States and all of us who are still able to enjoy all of the things guaranteed in the Constitution.
d) all of the above
While “d – all of the above” is socially correct and convenient to cover all the bases, no. And wearing white was a “fashion rule” established by the upper class long ago to mark the time for Summer vacations.
(photo courtesy of Meanwhile In Philly – Facebook)
And if you are from the tri-state are of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of the busiest time of the year “down at the shore”, referring to any one of the many shore points along the Jersey coastline. The only thought of sacrifice is that of the green and the plastic from the wallets, hanging at the beach and cruising the boardwalks. For those that do not make this trek, there are always plenty of picnics to attend back home.
(photo courtesy of Meanwhile In Philly – Facebook)
While all of those things do occur, I have always recognized Memorial Day for what it truly is, the day we remember and honor, those who gave all, their lives, serving our country. So you can see the conflict with answers a, b, and d which are more pleasant to celebrate. And let me get another peeve out of the way, why do we say “Happy Memorial Day?” This is one of several oxymoronic expressions we use for holidays, why is today so happy? It is a somber day, at least it is supposed to be one.
I made it a point with my daughters as they grew, they would learn our nation’s history and important dates. The same was done for me as a child growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania, a Memorial Day service, complete with a 21-gun salute was held at a stone memorial near the center of town. As the locals gathered, artificial poppies, produced by the VFW, Veterans Of Foreign Wars (at least at that time back in the 1970’s), were handed out to all who attended. The significance of the poppies was the abundance of growth among the battlefields in Europe following World War I. We would wear these replicas to honor those who had served and died.
Just as important a lesson in recognizing why we honor on Memorial Day, is to make sure that we do it correctly. We have several days that recognize the armed services besides Memorial Day:
Armed Forces Day (3rd Saturday in May) = honors all branches of the military and all who serve
Veterans Day (November 11th) = honors all veterans of US forces
Of course each branch of the the military has its own day to celebrate. Even K-9 military have their own Veterans Day on March 13th. I will bet you did not know that. And of course there are dates that we recognize particular events and conflicts (wars), such as Pearl Harbor Day (August 7th) and most recognizable but not often discussed, Flag Day (June 14th). And there are dates that we pay tribute to families and spouses such as Gold Star Spouses Day (April 5th), National Vietnam Veterans Day (March 29th), and of course, National POW/MIA Recognition Day (September 20th). So many dates to recognize, and all important to remember what each is for and why.
Like many, I have never known a time really when our country was not in conflict somewhere. I was born around the time of the Vietnam War, and have seen all others since. I do not know anyone in my family who died while serving (that I know of). I did have several family members who served in the various branches of the military and wars such as Korea, Vietnam, and of course in the middle East.
It was instilled in me early on in my childhood, to not only recognize and respect our military, but to remember and honor this day, those who gave everything, serving our country, so that we could still enjoy the picnics and the beach whenever we want. So sure, have fun today, but also, please never forget.
Paul's Heart 