A Memorial Day Reflection

[RevRainbow]

Stand with me for a while, here in this quiet place, and look around.

They’re all the same. It could be a military cemetery or just a cemetery with a military section or, it’s just a small town cemetery where the tombstones date back to the Revolutionary war.

Let’s take a little walk through the rows of tombstones and look at the dates: July 1863, September 1917, June 1943, February 1968 and May 2011. And the ages: 32, 18, 45, 21.

It used to be called Decoration Day. It began when ladies would come and decorate the graves of those who fought in the Civil War with fresh Spring flowers and maybe someone would say a prayer. It became a tradition.

It was a day, as the tradition continued and became more popular, when old soldiers would gather to honor their fallen comrades, to remember their sacrifice and add little American flags on the graves. There would be a few speeches and someone would play “Taps” on a bugle.

Now it is called Memorial Day and has become a national holiday. It has become a three day weekend to celebrate the beginning of summer with a backyard barbeque or picnic and to go to the mall for the weekend sale. 20-50% off in honor of those who gave their lives! Not too many folks actually go to the cemeteries anymore.

There are still ceremonies marking the day and there are still services held in churches and various places. It’s just that they are usually not that well attended and they are short and sweet because folks have other things to do – the pursuit of happiness.

Barbeques and picnics aren’t so bad. I believe those who have fallen on the battlefields of war would have wanted us to celebrate the liberty and joy of living in freedom that they so nobly fought for. Just one thing, however, and that is all stores should be closed on this day. All stores.

Stand here with me and look upon the rows and rows of white markers, for under those markers lie the dreams, hopes and aspirations of young people from every walk of life. Young people who had their future cut off. Men and women who, had they lived, may have discovered a cure for an illness, invented new technology or just raised a family and lived their lives as best they could. We will never know the true cost of sacrificed lives.

Contemplate for a while that someone placed their body between liberty and tyranny, between your freedom and an oppressor’s enslavement. What greater love is there than one would lay down their life for another.

Stand with me just a little while longer. Look at the rows and rows of white markers. Have you ever laid a flower on a soldier’s grave? Or placed a tiny flag? Do you even hang a flag out your window on this day?

Those of us who survived the war are here to remind you of those who did not survive. We are here to remind you that freedom is not free. Ah yes, freedom has a savory flavor to the veteran that those who never served can never taste.

There are still wars and rumors of war. One day, perhaps you or your children may be called to protect our lives and liberty. And there will be many who will answer the call. And then, gentle reader, it will be more personal to you. We must never forget those who came before and who gave their lives so that we may enjoy that which we still have today, paid for in blood.

Let us remember them! They were the protectors of our liberty and the guardians of our freedom. Perhaps in your own experience, you had a family member or a friend or someone you knew at work or in school, who never returned from war except in a flag draped casket. Let their name be with you this Memorial Day, for that is what it is all about. May they rest in peace.

Thank you for being here with me for this little while. Perhaps we should do this again next year. We should…because there will be new markers added to these rows and rows.

Edited May 29, 2011 by RevRainbow

[Atwater Vitki]

Thank you Reverend Rainbow for such an eloquent and gentle reminder of what this day is really about. You stirred in me a sense of Patriotism that has been lost for awhile due to things that use that word with such wonton disregard. Patriot Auto Sales, Patriot Missile and Patriot Act come immediately to mind as none of those things represent the true meaning of Patriotism.

Thank you for your service in defense of this ideal.

You prompted me to get out some old photo albums to look back upon my macabre fascination with the symmetry in those rows of White Crosses on display in our National Cemeteries. Whether Arlington or the Philippines, France or Germany, they all look the same, which is in stark contrast to the many thousands of individual lives buried beneath those neatly landscaped rows of markers. Yet, it represents the unity, the oneness of each of those lives given up for our sake, being able to sit here now writing about our observances and reflection on those lives.

Memorial Day or Veterans Day, both should bring our minds back to what was in the hearts of those laid to rest. Their honorable sacrifices express a loss to those who've had the expressed sorrow of keeping a loved one there, instead of perhaps lost in the rows of varied memorials at a cemetery close to their home.

Urrah! Semper Fi! Steady as she goes! Above the clouds! As each of those markers does indeed reflect in the rest of us the Best they could be.

Blessings of Peace,

.

[BrDevon]

One of the nice things about working in a retirement community is that the staff remember to thank our veterans. Some of them have forgotten when and where they served, but that's okay. They served. It is because of their work and the work of many Americans that we are all here free to say thank you for what you did. As one of the residents at my community said, there are painful memories, and there were things seen that nice people don't talk about, but the fact that so many people can forget our troops is only due to how well they did their jobs. (Sad, but true.)

I plan to say thank you to every veteran on my section of the building - many who have no family left to visit them and who have outlived their friends and fellow veterans. I will help the nursing staff make sure medals are pinned straight and true and uniforms stay clean and nice. When I serve their tables (I work in the dining room), I will make sure their plates are fitting a veteran, and I will lastly remember my own father, who served in WWII, and hope that in taking care of these special people whom I serve, I also honor his memory.

[RevRainbow]

[vickijava]

Stand with me for a while, here in this quiet place, and look around.

They’re all the same. It could be a military cemetery or just a cemetery with a military section or, it’s just a small town cemetery where the tombstones date back to the Revolutionary war.

Let’s take a little walk through the rows of tombstones and look at the dates: July 1863, September 1917, June 1943, February 1968 and May 2011. And the ages: 32, 18, 45, 21.

It used to be called Decoration Day. It began when ladies would come and decorate the graves of those who fought in the Civil War with fresh Spring flowers and maybe someone would say a prayer. It became a tradition.

It was a day, as the tradition continued and became more popular, when old soldiers would gather to honor their fallen comrades, to remember their sacrifice and add little American flags on the graves. There would be a few speeches and someone would play “Taps” on a bugle.

Now it is called Memorial Day and has become a national holiday. It has become a three day weekend to celebrate the beginning of summer with a backyard barbeque or picnic and to go to the mall for the weekend sale. 20-50% off in honor of those who gave their lives! Not too many folks actually go to the cemeteries anymore.

There are still ceremonies marking the day and there are still services held in churches and various places. It’s just that they are usually not that well attended and they are short and sweet because folks have other things to do – the pursuit of happiness.

Barbeques and picnics aren’t so bad. I believe those who have fallen on the battlefields of war would have wanted us to celebrate the liberty and joy of living in freedom that they so nobly fought for. Just one thing, however, and that is all stores should be closed on this day. All stores.

Stand here with me and look upon the rows and rows of white markers, for under those markers lie the dreams, hopes and aspirations of young people from every walk of life. Young people who had their future cut off. Men and women who, had they lived, may have discovered a cure for an illness, invented new technology or just raised a family and lived their lives as best they could. We will never know the true cost of sacrificed lives.

Contemplate for a while that someone placed their body between liberty and tyranny, between your freedom and an oppressor’s enslavement. What greater love is there than one would lay down their life for another.

Stand with me just a little while longer. Look at the rows and rows of white markers. Have you ever laid a flower on a soldier’s grave? Or placed a tiny flag? Do you even hang a flag out your window on this day?

Those of us who survived the war are here to remind you of those who did not survive. We are here to remind you that freedom is not free. Ah yes, freedom has a savory flavor to the veteran that those who never served can never taste.

There are still wars and rumors of war. One day, perhaps you or your children may be called to protect our lives and liberty. And there will be many who will answer the call. And then, gentle reader, it will be more personal to you. We must never forget those who came before and who gave their lives so that we may enjoy that which we still have today, paid for in blood.

Let us remember them! They were the protectors of our liberty and the guardians of our freedom. Perhaps in your own experience, you had a family member or a friend or someone you knew at work or in school, who never returned from war except in a flag draped casket. Let their name be with you this Memorial Day, for that is what it is all about. May they rest in peace.

Thank you for being here with me for this little while. Perhaps we should do this again next year. We should…because there will be new markers added to these rows and rows.

[/q

[vickijava]

Thank you RevRainbow for the well written reminder to honor those who fought and made sacrifices for our freedom. Today I remember my father in law who got shot up at Guadal Canal and lived the rest of his life with his back wired together. He received poor care by the VA who lost his records and denied he was even in combat until a few days before he died where he was honored with a purple heart. He never complained about his pain, you could see it on his face. He confessed he would do it again for our country. How many people today can say that? How many would sacrifice for the sake of another? He was an humble man of honor, I am so honored to have known him. Today his memory is strong in our hearts and mind. God Bless Mr. Vincent, a lovely man of honor.

One of the nice things about working in a retirement community is that the staff remember to thank our veterans. Some of them have forgotten when and where they served, but that's okay. They served. It is because of their work and the work of many Americans that we are all here free to say thank you for what you did. As one of the residents at my community said, there are painful memories, and there were things seen that nice people don't talk about, but the fact that so many people can forget our troops is only due to how well they did their jobs. (Sad, but true.)

I plan to say thank you to every veteran on my section of the building - many who have no family left to visit them and who have outlived their friends and fellow veterans. I will help the nursing staff make sure medals are pinned straight and true and uniforms stay clean and nice. When I serve their tables (I work in the dining room), I will make sure their plates are fitting a veteran, and I will lastly remember my own father, who served in WWII, and hope that in taking care of these special people whom I serve, I also honor his memory.

[grateful]

I LOVE my veterans - and as always, I thank you for your wise words, revrainbow

(I saw this on memorial day but the dog and I were at the parade )

and though I think of it most the time, the last few years now, you help me remember this day, and I thank you for that, my friend