Memorial Day, 2023

 

(Photo: MARK REINSTEIN/CORBIS/GETTY IMAGES)

I popped on Google this morning and entered "Memorial Day."

I just wanted to see what came up.

The images were as one might expect. Stock images and banners and the like. Plus the one at the top of the page, taken by Mark Reinstein.

It is a sad fact, of course, that we need to have a Memorial Day. It is an even sadder fact that we need to remind many of what Memorial Day is.

While it's delightful to be sitting on the beach or in a backyard grilling or off at a mall shopping, that's not what Memorial Day is for. However, we have Memorial Day because of many brave men and women -- far braver than I. 

We have Memorial Day because we aren't honoring those actively serving in the military. We don't have Memorial Day because we're honoring anyone who has ever served in the military.

Memorial Day is defined as "a day on which those who died in active military service are remembered, traditionally observed on May 30 but now officially observed on the last Monday in May."

While Memorial Day seems to have begun as early as 1865 in Charleston, SC, the federal government said that Waterloo, NY celebrated the first Memorial Day in 1866. It also evolved from Decoration Day, first organized by Civil War General John Logan, in 1868.

It was moved to the last Monday in May beginning in 1971.

Thus there is no harm in being at the beach today or the mall or playing cornhole in someone's backyard while sipping on a frosty brew ('Murica!). But it would be sort of groovy if you could take even a moment to pause and think of those lost. 

Just to stop here for a moment, I am reminded of the countless picnics at the Adams abode in Mahopac that normally resulted in a savage wiffle ball game as well as football in the front yard. Of course that could also have been on July 4th or Labor Day or any other weekend but just speaking about cornhole in the backyard placed the sweet memories in my skull. Whether we were at my parent's house or my aunt and uncles or my cousins house or anywhere else. I'm just grateful for those memories. I'd also love to play some wiffle ball right about now but I digress.

Maybe you've never lost a loved one to combat. I am fortunate in that regard but I have had loved ones get wounded -- seriously -- in combat and we're mighty lucky to still have them with us. I had uncles in World War II. I had a cousin, whom I saw yesterday, get two Purple Hearts during the Vietnam War.

Still, those conversations are for Veteran's Day, which is also when I tip my cap to m dad and his brief service in the Army.

Today is for those brave souls that we lost. It makes me think of a couple of sites I'd very much like to visit to go along with hallowed ground like Gettysburg, Arlington National Cemetery, and other places.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial and, most importantly, the USS Arizona site. In my house growing up, you learned a lot about the attack on Pearl Harbor, HI. My father was just about to turn 12 and it had a profound impact. I've read my fair share about it and once wrote a term paper in middle school about it. 

Omaha Beach, Normandy, France. This was the other site that was discussed a lot in my house growing up. My sister has been and described what a profound experience it was for her. As I've made my way to London, it has tantalized me to be fairly close to this. More than visiting Paris, I think Normandy is the thing I want to see most in France.

I realize I hardly needed to give any of you a history lesson on Memorial Day in this post. I know you've all probably taken a moment today to honor those lost. You're going or have gone to a parade or whatever it is. But take a moment. Do something.

We have the freedom that we have for a reason. Yes, war is hell, and "what is it good for?" Those are thoughts for another time. 

I find myself overwhelmed with admiration for these people who made what is often called "the ultimate sacrifice." That term seems trite and hardly sufficient but even I'll admit it will have to do.

For the record, we'll have our own low-key Memorial Day here. We made a plan to cook up chili dogs and enjoy our day. I also intend to sit outside, pop my Bluetooth speaker on, and maybe listen to a game or a podcast or music or all of the above. 

What I don't intend to do is get in my car. Today is our day to chill out after a busy weekend.

I wish you a pleasant day on the unofficial kickoff to summer.