So, it’s the unofficial kickoff to summer today, right?
But of course, it’s much more than that. Let’s not forget that Memorial Day is the time when we’re supposed to reflect on the sacrifices made by members of our military over the nation’s long history of conflict and defense of the things we need and hold dear. It may have been easier to remember that when the holiday was called Decoration Day, and when communities around the country would make a point to place flags on the graves of the war dead and veterans in local cemeteries.
That still happens, of course. When my son was in Scouts, we participated in the annual decoration for Memorial Day at the VA cemetery in Dayton, and to this day I have fond memories of boys and girls in their uniforms moving quickly between the rows of white headstones, planting a single small American flag before each one — a living, rolling wave of color, care and consideration.
Happy Memorial Day to you and yours.
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