This weekend will mark another "Decoration Day", or Memorial Day, as is has come to be called. I kind of prefer Decoration Day, myself. It was a day when people would gather together and decorate the graves of the dead soldiers (and I include sailors, air men, marines and coast guard here whenever I use the word soldier, ok) and remember.
Do we still remember? Do we remember the words on the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C. that:
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
Men and women have died for our freedom and die today to ensure freedom for others. For this, if for no other reason, and there are plenty of good other reasons, I will pause this weekend, and I will remember.
May God bless all of our fellow Americans who this day wear our nation's uniforms.
And for those who did not come home, I want to leave you with some of the words from Taps (there are no official words), composed By Major General Daniel Butterfield, Army of the Potomac, Civil War, July 1862:
Day is done, gone the sun, From the hills, from the lake, From the sky. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
For information about Taps.
Posted by Random Penseur at May 27, 2005 11:31 AMVery good of you to remind us that this is not just a day to open up pools, frolic and miss a work day.
God bless them ALL.
Posted by: Wicked H at May 27, 2005 01:40 PMHere. Here.
I shall not get political today. I have erased most of what I wrote here.
Posted by: dr pants at May 28, 2005 03:59 AMI have to wear sunglasses to our town's Memorial Day observance because Taps makes me cry. I was covering our school's observance yesterday for our local paper and it was inside so I couldn't wear sunglasses, ugh! Thanks for the remembrance and the Taps link.
Posted by: Amy at May 28, 2005 08:51 AMThanks for the eloquent reminder. Much needed in today's world, which is blatantly shameful, considering.
Posted by: Jennifer at May 28, 2005 12:05 PM