As the
weather gradually grows warmer and
another
Memorial Day swiftly approaches,
thoughts of the beach, barbecues and picnics begin to surface in
our minds. Many of us look forward with anticipation to the
three-day weekend, taking advantage of the extra day off to do some
traveling, or simply to catch up on some much needed
relaxation.
But more often than not, we forget what
Memorial Day really means, and
very rarely do we ask ourselves why we celebrate Memorial Day. Of
course, those of you who have served in the armed forces or have
family members who have done so
are well aware of the history and meaning of Memorial Day, some of
you...painfully so.
The media often makes a small comment in regards to why we
celebrate Memorial Day, and newspapers often publish a small
article, but otherwise the general consensus is that
Memorial Day is a time for
warm-weather
fun and happy celebrations.
The purpose of this article is not to dampen anyone's spirits,
or to preach about
war and its casualties. It is not
intended to ruin anyone's
Memorial Day weekend plans or
parties. It is simply to remind those of you who need reminding
that
Memorial Day was originally not so
much a celebration as it was a day of solemnity, a day of respect
and remembrance for those who have served their country and have
died doing so.
Regardless of whether you support the current
war or not, or even the previous
wars throughout history, the fact remains that hundreds of
thousands of soldiers went to
war for the
United States of America. They
fought hard and they fought well, and they fought for reasons that
may or may not have been righteous. But they pledged themselves to
the cause, because they believed in the United States, and they
believed in themselves as a soldier.
And they died for it.
Memorial Day was first established in 1868 in order to honor the
soldiers who had fallen during the Civil War. It was initially only
recognized by first
New York and then the remainder of
the northern states, and wasn't followed by the south until
after World War I.
Let's not forget the reason for this holiday.
For those of you who are interested in attending, YOU are cordially
invited to join the Sixth Annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday,
May 26th 2008 at 11:00 AM at 1423 Bellevue Avenue in Daytona Beach
(phone number 386-226-1100). It is a wonderful ceremony in memory
of Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guards, and Merchant
Marines who died or suffered in their service to America and its
allies during the past wars.
Refreshments will be served.
We would love to see you there.
