The photo above is a gorgeous shot of Arlington National Cemetery taken by Duane Lempke. He has generously dedicated this work to the public domain by waiving all rights to it. I think that it's a great way to start this post.
According to Wikipedia, "Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces". Here's a bit of trivia... the holiday was originally called Decoration Day and was so named to encourage placing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers. I can still remember my grandma wanting to go to a cemetery on "Decoration Day" to place flowers. It's one of those childhood memories that warms my heart.
The holiday started out as a way to honor Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War and has since morphed into a remembrance of all fallen soldiers and military personnel.
From a personal point of view, it seems to me that over the years the real reason for the holiday has become a bit lost. I feel a lot of people look upon it more as the beginning of summer and a day to relax and grill in the backyard. While I'm certainly not opposed to bonding over a backyard burger, I wanted to take today's post and remind everyone of "the why" behind the day.
Sacrifice for the common good is honorable and we should all take a moment today to pause and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for others. Enjoy the day and remember the fallen who cannot be there with you.
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