I’ve been remiss this week. I wanted to write a post about the meaning of Memorial day, beyond the Sea to Ski parties Smart Guy and I enjoy with our friends. Beyond the annual lobster fest we enjoy. Throughout the weekend, with my house filled with friends and laughter, I kept thinking of what Memorial Day really stands for to so many others. I have no personal reference points, but as the current war rages on, or as we toured Pearl Harbor in April, I am sobered over and over by the human loss—on all sides. The families who must go on without someone they love, the men and women who come home scarred and haunted. I regret that I didn’t find this post by Beaten Into Submission, sooner. This post is eloquent, hauntingly beautiful… and about what matters. A few days late, but something we should all spend more time thinking about regardless of the date.
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Thank you for sharing this, Dawn. Powerful and poignant.
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It moved me, deeply. Beautiful writing!
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As I read this story, I thought of my father, a survivor of the Bataan Death March and a POW for 42 months. Even though he survived the war and a lifetime of “survivor’s guilt,” he maintained throughout his life that the lucky ones died first. We simply cannot imagine the suffering he and his comrades were subjected to. My heart goes out to the writer and those like him who would gladly have traded places with any one of those who did not make it home. War has been a part of our lives for too long. Bring the service men and women home!
Thank you, Dawn, for sharing this gut wrenching story. – Mike
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We do not give these service men and women enough time, for sure. I think the politics get in the way, of seeing the pain and suffering that continues, generation after generation. Thanks for sharing Mike. Can’t imagine the stories your father lived with!
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I agree. I so wish we could move Memorial Day back to May 30th so it has its own day and is not watered down (forgotten) in the flurry of the 3 day ‘start of summer’ buzz. The Memorial Day of my youth was called ‘Decoration Day’ – a day to go to the cemetery and put flags on all the veteran’s graves. Or, if we were in school that day, it was a day to draw flags to take to the VFW hall and present to the veterans gathered there. So, yes… Memorial Day needs to return to a day of reverence, not revelry. In the blog post I wrote, I mention a petition aiming to do just that – return Memorial Day to it’s original date – May 30th. I hope you and your readers will click on the link and take the time to sign the petition. Thanks for posting that very moving piece and for sharing your thoughts. Here’s the link: http://remarkablewrinklies.com/2012/memorial-day-a-return-to-reverence/
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Thank YOU Patti for these passionate thoughts. I hadn’t heard of this petition, but love the idea! I too remember making much more of the Memorial part… the remembrances. I am guilty too of allowing it to become just another 3 day weekend. But the part of me that remembers, kept nagging me all weekend. So glad I found this post. It is so meaningful! Thanks for sharing.
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That was beautiful and so heart felt Dawn. Thanks for sharing it. It helps put things in perspective.
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Touched me deeply. The meaning of the day, has been lost along the way.
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