Memorial Day

[cowboy43]

I am sitting here seeing all the Memorial Day sales going on, and all the activities on the lakes, I wonder how many people really know the meaning or reason for Memorial Day.

 

[AndyL]

To a lot of people it's just a long weekend. National BBQ day to many.

 

[dun]

For me it's the saddest holiday of the year. A day for remembrances and reflection.

 

[cowmilker]

My uncle was killed when his plane was shot down in Vietnam. I drink a toast to him every Memorial Day since I've been old enough to drink. He was a great guy. Craig

 

[Dega Moo]

Cowboy you might be surprised at the number. It's hard to imagine anyone in the country these days who hasn't been close to someone in the military fighting for us these past few decades. And of course there are two entire generations of Vietnam and Korean War Americans. If only in their fears and nightmares, these folks would know what those sacrifices meant.

I had three uncles fight throughout WWII. They all lost close friends. If you pressed them they would talk about it very generally but not specifically. They took note of Memorial Day - we always had a family picnic - it sure seemed to be an important family holiday. But no one ever really talked about the war, their service, least of all those three.

These days families are spread out, not just over the continent, but around the world and not just in the military. Those family picnics get difficult to stage. But I think a lot of people are like my mother who will pause at sometime, mentally recall a lot of painful memories, bless those who have passed on and then just like my uncles, carry on with the lives they helped ensure. I've seen the tears in her eyes and know her quiet remembrance is a powerful statement. I think a whole lot of that happens in this country. I sure hope so.

Anyway Cowboy - thanks for the reminder and may we all carry a prayer of gratitude to the sacrifice so many have made for us and those who will make those sacrifices in the future.

 

[Arkansas]

yea, my son used to ask me what memorial day is. i would tell him its a day few people even know what it represents. But were slowly getting there attention again.. 3 generations of my family have been in war and if i learned anything from it it is this.. Dont join son, and if he does i will pray everyday that he makes it back to us safely!

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cowboy you might be surprised at the number. It's hard to imagine anyone in the country these days who hasn't been close to someone in the military fighting for us these past few decades. And of course there are two entire generations of Vietnam and Korean War Americans. If only in their fears and nightmares, these folks would know what those sacrifices meant.

I had three uncles fight throughout WWII. They all lost close friends. If you pressed them they would talk about it very generally but not specifically. They took note of Memorial Day - we always had a family picnic - it sure seemed to be an important family holiday. But no one ever really talked about the war, their service, least of all those three.

These days families are spread out, not just over the continent, but around the world and not just in the military. Those family picnics get difficult to stage. But I think a lot of people are like my mother who will pause at sometime, mentally recall a lot of painful memories, bless those who have passed on and then just like my uncles, carry on with the lives they helped ensure. I've seen the tears in her eyes and know her quiet remembrance is a powerful statement. I think a whole lot of that happens in this country. I sure hope so.

Anyway Cowboy - thanks for the reminder and may we all carry a prayer of gratitude to the sacrifice so many have made for us and those who will make those sacrifices in the future.

This Memorial Day I will be attending a funeral at Mt Zion cementary.
Memorial day was alway's special when I was growing up as Dad and all my uncles fought in WWII and or Korea.
This was the times the men would get off to themselves and talk about their experience's. Other than that you never heard about what they went through. That was one tough generation. We are sorely in need of there type leadership in this country right now.

 

[cow pollinater]

My memorial day celebration is to keep working and be thankful for the freedom to be in business for myself. I spoke to a friend who was a green beret in Vietnam and is now a manager at one of my dairy stops and I told him I was just glad that his holiday was veterans day. :lol: That's as far as it goes for me as a holiday. I'll shed my tears in private.
What an injustice that we take the same sacrifice that bought our freedom and turn it into a three day vacation. How disgusting and ignorant.

 

[Ouachita]

My family always get together to remember. This year is was today because it was the only time everybody could be in the same place at the same time. My mom doesn't let the prayer start until everyone is holding hands, and nobody takes a bite of anything until after the AMEN

 

[Dega Moo]

Maybe it was just this thread had me primed but my ears were up all weekend about Memorial Day and the meaning as more than just another holiday. Anyway, I get most of my news from an iPad looking at USA Today and Fox News apps as well as a silly little news reader called Pulse. There were numerous Memorial Day stories - about Veterans and their sacrifices in both USA Today and Fox. There were stories and pictures of the Memorials in DC as well as Arlington. My Pulse reader had literally dozens of news stories. If I were illiterate, I could have missed it but otherwise, not a chance.

Watched the Cardinals on TV showing poor manners battering their lowly cousins the Royals in K.C. yesterday. There were a lot of special moments during the game and on TV where the importance and meaning of the day were highlighted by the game announcers and MLB. It wasn't overdone, but was certainly not underdone. At the end of the game, they had a serviceman at the game down on his knee proposing to a young woman. (She shook her head yes!) My female in-laws were all tearing up and sobbing.

The ballplayers wore special caps and uniforms with with pixelated (SP?) camouflage numbers and graphics in honor of America's servicemen. Even the umpires wore the hats. Every ball game I've been to for I don't know how many years, takes some time to point out service men and women attending the game and these folks always get a huge reception.

I could go on about other things I heard and saw - but the point is, as a nation we do better at some of this stuff than we want to give or take credit for doing. I'm optimistic about the USA. I think the generations following mine are better than mine, and mine wasn't half bad.