Please take the time to say "Thank You" this Memorial Day!
A excellent post to remind us of the true meaning of Memorial Day. Take time to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom.
Memorial Day Celebrations will be held this weekend throughout our wonderful country. I hope you'll take the time to remember why we celebrate this day, and not just view it as a 3 day weekend, the start of summer vacation, or grillin' and chillin'.
As it is, Memorial Day is a day set aside to honor those who gave their lives in service of our country. It has grown to celebrate veterans as well as those currently serving our country. History tells us that Decoration Day (as it was called) began shortly after the Civil War.
Many cities lay claim to the birth of Memorial Day, but it was General John A. Logan who officially proclaimed it as such on May 5, 1868; and the official day was observed on May 30 of that year as flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
Delray Beach, FL, where I live, will have a ceremony at 11a.m. at Veteran's Memorial Park (802 NE 1st Street) which will include a rifle salute and wreath presentation. Other cities in the area, Boca Raton, Wellington and Palm Beach Gardens, for example, will also celebrate this day. There will be parades, lunches, wreaths and speeches.
Take a few minutes to seek out your local celebrations. If you have children, what better way to teach them about honor.
The important point is that we don't forget to remember, thank and honor those whose sacrafices have allowed us the freedoms that we enjoy.
Regardless of your political affiliation or your opinion on the war in Iraq, we all benefit from their service. I hope you'll take some time this weekend (and throughout the year) to say "THANK YOU" to any veteran or someone currently serving in the military.
A few years ago, when my husband and I were living in the DC area we were lucky enough to attend a Memorial Day celebration at Arlington Cemetery. We saw President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld, but what made it a truly special event was the fact that we were just a row from a Medal of Honor recipient.
Here are just a few photos from that day.
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