Memorial Day – Showing Honor by Remembering
Memorial Day is here! The school year is almost over, and summer is just getting started. Pools are open. People are gathering in backyards with dishes full of things that smell delicious and make you think about lounging somewhere with a cool drink.
In the middle of celebrating this break from our everyday lives is a serious holiday that’s all about honoring those who have died while serving our country in the military.
Why We Celebrate
Begun as a way to remember the soldiers who died during America’s Civil War, Memorial Day has grown into something that is much more than that. Today, this holiday encompasses all American service members who have died while serving our country, whether during war or in peacetime. On Memorial Day, we honor these brave people by remembering them.
Honor – A Definition
Honor, as a verb, is defined by Merriam-Webster this way: “to regard or treat (someone) with admiration and respect; to give special recognition to.” This definition gives us a picture of how we can honor our military dead.
The idea is this, we spend time on and give attention to people or things we value. In fact, we often “honor” the people and things that are important to us by thinking about them often. You might even say that we remember them.
Showing Honor Through Remembrance
There are many ways to show honor through acts of remembrance on Memorial Day. Cities and towns schedule special concerts and events over the long weekend. National cemeteries hold special services to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. And, of course, there is the National Moment of Remembrance that everyone in our country can observe at 3:00 pm local time – wherever we are.
In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated:
“Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.”
This is a sobering thought. The idea that we might begin to take for granted the sacrifice of those who died while serving our country is one reason why holidays like Memorial Day were established.
Warm Wishes for a Happy Memorial Day!
Whether you had a weekend full of special Memorial Day events or a quiet start-of-summer getaway, I hope you had the opportunity to take a moment to honor those who made it possible for us to enjoy this long weekend in peace and safety. For those who served our country in the military, both past and present, we say, “Thank you.” To everyone else, the Westlark Team offers warm wishes, and hope that you had a wonderful Memorial Day!
Memorial Day – Showing Honor by Remembering
By JD Buss
