LET'S TALK: Memorial Day traditions
Memorial Day, the first "official" summer holiday. Here in central PA, it marks the transition from months indoors to months outdoors. This is the weekend when many of us plant flowers and vegetables, confident that the threat of frost has finally passed. Some of us will stay home and cook out, others will head to the woods for a few days of camping. Pools and amusement parks open, school is winding down.
Amid all the recreational pursuits, many of us will also take time to reflect on the meaning of the holiday. There are parades and services in almost every town, and the countryside is bedecked in red, white and blue. (Not to mention the glorious white, pink and lavender of the Dame's Rockets in every shady spot! Have you ever wondered how a flower that's been described since the 15th century, long before there were rocket ships, got the name "rocket"? Click the link to see the "word story." Oh, and by the way, it is classified as an "invasive species" and a "noxious weed.")
What are your plans for Memorial Day weekend?
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Comments
Grand Ole Flag
We put up our new flag at our new house. It is such a minor thing and while I understand the need to not worship our freedom but celebrate our freedom to worship among many other things, I still felt a leap when I saw our flag flying. It was a chance to tell our children the stories of their grandfathers who fought bravely to preserve and spread our democratic ideals across the globe and then returned home to live full lives. It gave us a chance to tell them about brave friends who held their ground at Pearl Harbor and returned home to raise wonderful families. Yet again it gave us a chance to teach our children the value of patriotism. I am proud of our military. Thankful for their many sacrifices.
Memorial Day traditions
Although I'm not from a very military background, I like to pause and contemplate the meaning of this day. My father served in WWII as an aero-mechanic based in England. My father-in-law served aboard the USS Augusta. They were young and no doubt scared, just as our soldiers are today. My overriding thought about the need for a strong military is how wasteful it all is. Because people cannot trust and respect one another, we expend not only great sums (that could certainly be put to better use in social services), but also the lives of our youth. Those who aren't lost in war are often so scarred that their full potential will never be known and their life will be a shadow of what was possible.
As for personal traditions, we always plant flowers in our window boxes on Memorial Day. The danger of frost is generally past, and it gives our home a summery look. I also enjoy listening to oldies and drinking a few beers. As with a religious holiday, any holiday can be celebrated with a personal touch beyond the official recognition of the day's value. Anne H.