It's Memorial Day in the USA. Originally called Decoration Day, it was established to recognize those who have died in our nation's service. The practice of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers began years before the holiday was established in early 1868. The first official Memorial Day was observed on May 30th of that year when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
Many Americans have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. It has become little more than a holiday established to give workers a three day weekend at the beginning of summer or a great excuse to barbecue. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
Whether or not you visit a cemetery today or some sort of Memorial Day event, I hope all Americans reading this blog post will take a moment to think about the men and women who have died in service to our country. Remember to be thankful for them and their families. As we all know, the price of freedom isn't cheap.
~robin
