Before you go off the beach, the lake, the amusement park, or fire up that grill for the holiday weekend barbecue I do ask you take a little time to reflect on what this weekend is all about. Some people think it's about beer and barbecue, some people will think that it's about nonstop partying from Friday night till Monday evening, then back to work on Tuesday.
Monday, May 25, 2009 is Memorial Day in the United States. It is a Federal holiday that means no banks, no government offices, and most state, county, and city offices will not be open for business in observance of this holiday.
In 1868, it was celebrated to honor the Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. Then after World War I, it was expanded to include American casualties of any war or military action, this is to ensure that the nations remembers the sacrifice of America's fallen from the Revolutionary War to the present. For 140 or so years we as a nation honored those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, for you and me and our future.
There are several traditions that go with observing Memorial Day. Here are a couple: flying the flag of the United States at half staff from dawn until noon local time, a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 PM eastern time, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars take donations for poppies in the days leading up to Memorial Day. Then the poppies are taken and placed on the graves of the fallen. The poppies have a special significance to Memorial Day as a result of the poem by John McCrae titled "In Flanders Field"
One of the longest standing traditions is the Indianapolis 500, which has been run on Memorial Day since 1911. While an important event the Indianapolis 500 has helped change the way people see Memorial Day. It was formally observed on May 30 but since it was moved to the last Monday of May critics have fought to return it back to its fixed traditional date. This VFW stated, "…changing the date really to create three day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed a lot to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."
I cannot agree more. While I, like everyone else, welcome a three-day weekend, I do not welcome the price this country and its brave men and women had to pay so that we could take some time off from work.
I do ask that sometime over the weekend, for you to stop for a minute, just one minute and think about those Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines that never came home. Think just how much better your cup of coffee tastes because they did what they were called to do. Pause and savor that barbecue because you can, knowing that it was those men and women that made it possible.
Just remember them.
"In Flanders Field"
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)
Here are some Technorati Tags:
Dave Guerra • Memorial Day • Give to the USO • US Army • US Air Force • US Navy • US Marine Corps • Fallen Heroes • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
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