Memorial Day

Monday is Memorial Day.The weather is forecast to be good. There will be boats on the river, kids in the parks and the smell of grilled foods will permeate every neighborhood.

There will also be veterans in every community honoring their fallen comrades. Memorial Day Ceremonies seem to be gathering of veterans with a few non-veteran citizens thrown in.

Memorial Day is a date set aide to honor and remember those who have died in defense of this great nation. Somehow America has chosen to observe Memorial Day by celebrating the unofficial start of summer.

Look at the Sunday newspaper. Ads for Memorial Day sales for patio furniture, pools and other summertime items abound. Sure there is the usual list of Holiday closures for Monday. Perhaps there is an article on veterans placing flags in a local cemetery. There will be a list of Memorial Day activities. I am willing to bet that the crowd Monday morning at Wal~mart will be larger than the crowd at the local Memorial Day ceremony.

Why? Why can't we postpone the unofficial start to summer until after the morning ceremonies? Why do we have to have a "Memorial Day Weekend? with 3 days of beer and brats combined with roadside safety checks?
Why can't we give up a day of beer and brats for those who gave up everything for us?Why can't we have a single day dedicated to remembering and honoring those who have given their lives for our freedom?

A day of solemn remembrance, a day of thanks, isn't that the minimum we should dedicate to those who have given us our way of life by giving up their lives?

I am certain that between now and Monday Many well meaning people will utter those words I despise...."Happy Memorial Day"
Yes I despise those words. Memorial Day is never happy for me. I have too many memories of too many men who died in service to the United States to be happy. Memorial Day I think about these men. I think about their sacrifice and the sacrifice of their families.

You want me to be happy on Memorial Day? Join me and my fellow veterans at a Memorial Day ceremony near you on Monday morning. Don't wish me a happy Memorial Day! Show some respect and honor for my fallen comrades. Do something most Americans don't do on the last Monday in May..... Honor those who have given the last full measure of devotion and made the ultimate sacrifice for us all.