In December of 2000, Congress passed a resolution titled the National Moment of Remembrance. The objective of the resolution sought to help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day. The resolution asks all Americans to observe a moment of remembrance and respect at 3:00 PM local time. How many of us will find the designated hour passed without pausing to reflect on the significance of Memorial Day?
For many of us, Memorial Day is the kick-off to summer. It is a three-day weekend where we open the pool, clean the cottage or make certain we have enough propane in the gas grill. These tasks are just some of the rewards we have living in a free society. They should not cause us to lose sight of the true significance of Memorial Day.
Admittedly, I have an innate view of the last Monday in May. I am a military brat, born on the Fourth of July. However strong my love of country, Memorial Day is more about remembering and honoring and not Independence Day - lite. Memorial Day is not about things that divide us – political party affiliations, race or religion. Its foundation is built on reconciliation and reunification surrounded by reverence and solemnity.
Last year, a group of us participated in a local Memorial Day Ceremony. As we stood there, between the speeches and songs, we witnessed a number of our more senior veterans struggling with the temperature and duration. Their physical strain found some respite in their need and commitment to honor and remember. These heroes stood in place of those who have fallen. I began wondering – will future generation be as diligent in their commitment to honor and remember the heroes whose names and faces have been lost through time and history?
As for my friends and me, we have started a new tradition this year. We will come together in a concert to remind our friends and ourselves of the true meaning of Memorial Day. Make the last Monday in May 2010 a new beginning for your family and friends. Find a local Memorial Day Ceremony or concert in your local community or in the town you visit. Look into the faces of those brave men and women who have given their all in service to our country then think of those who did not return home to those they loved. Commit those faces to memory. Because of the brave, we live in the land of the free.
