Memorial Day. What does this federal holiday mean to you? Partying with friends? Grilling out with family? Going to a local park to swim and play?
As I get older, I get more sentimental. I think about the true meaning of the holiday, not the partying or the grilling out or the swimming and playing.
The true meaning of the American holiday is to remember those Armed Forces men and women who died while serving during the different wars in history.
While I had no relatives who died while serving, I did have several who served in one of the branches during their younger years.
How do you celebrate Memorial Day?
Attend a Memorial Day parade
I live in a small town so I don’t have luxury of attending a parade. In fact, I don’t know of any town nearby that has a parade for this holiday.
With this being the weekend of the Indy 500, the 500 parade stands out as the one to attend.
And I haven’t attended it either.
Decorate loved ones’ graves
For now my parents decorate our loved ones’ graves. They drive to a couple of northern Indiana cemeteries and place new flowers on the graves of my grandparents and great grandparents.
I have gone with them a couple of times in the past. Someday I will be responsible for doing that.
Buy a poppy
First thing this morning a graphic with a red poppy stared at me on Facebook.
I read through the meaning of what the poppy stood for. And I shared that graphic so that people could learn what it symbolizes like I did.
Do you know? The poppy became a symbol of remembrance during World War I. It symbolized the loss of life during the war.
Have a history lesson
As a history buff, learning about something from our past always intrigues me.
Writing in a different genre is one of my goals for this year. I lean toward history or something related to history. Perhaps historical romance.
Research is something I love. People look at me like I’m crazy when I say that.
But I truly love learning about our past.
For instance, did you know that on May 30, 1868, Major General John A. Logan declared that day Decoration Day? It was a day to decorate the graves of those who died in war.
Did you know that in 1971 Decoration Day became Memorial Day, the national holiday we know today? Instead of May 30, though, the holiday is now the last Monday of May.
This is the history I enjoy.
Now I have details for a novel if ever I should decide to use this information.
Thank a veteran
No matter what, we should always thank a veteran and even those who are actively still serving.
I am always touched when I see a young child do this in a restaurant or other public place. In fact, my own son has done this.
Those serving have sacrificed so much for us as Americans since before our country was a country. We need to thank them.
That’s the least we can do.