Memorial Day.. Cookout ?.. Alcohol ?.. Day of Remembrance

[Truss]

I don’t know why I’m compelled to write/open a new thread. We have been at our mountain house, and I been watching all the neighbors cooking out and drinking. There was a live band yesterday and lots of people celebrating Memorial Day. It struck me hard this weekend and again today. I know I’m getting older, I realize I see things differently since I retired as a Law Enforcement Officer. I know it’s personal this year as NC just lost another young K9 officer while conducting a traffic stop.

But ITS MEMORIAL DAY !!... not Veterans Day. 4th of July .. or a time of celebration. Yes we have our freedom, but how ?? Those men and women that gave the Ultimate Sacrifice.. I shouldn’t be here posting my thoughts, but I can’t help but to think of all the mothers who lost their children to give me the freedom and liberty’s I have today. All the kids that lost their moms or dads. Sisters that lost brothers I could go on and on.

I went to the concert (live music) yesterday, lots of people all ages sitting around, some dancing. A man and woman walked up and started talking, we don’t know a lot of people here in our community.. The man and woman both looked at me and said “Thank You for your service for they found out I retired after 30 years as a Sheriffs Deputy.” I hear it from folks and it’s a warm feeling knowing how most folks view Law Enforcement

But this weekend and today. It’s been different I so want PEOPLE TO REALIZE WHAT WE HONORING TODAY. I mentioned it to my family and they all looked at me and said “Wow dad, sort of like Thanksgiving and Christmas “ we forget the true meaning of the days we choose to celebrate..

We had hamburgers and hotdogs, cold beer and took part in the festivities. But last night it hit me like a ton of bricks. I got to thinking about all the freedom I have (even to be here, on the Internet, or to have been sleeved). I have times everyday ; weekly , thinking about all my struggles and how bad things can be and how I want so much more.

I’m not a bible thumper , but a God fearing man. I have been blessed beyond belief. But a lot of my blessings have been due to others sacrifices. Today will you honor (celebrate) WHATEVER ... Please think before saying HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY.. I can’t wrap my head around “HAPPY”... maybe it’s just me but Memorial Day is for those who have left us, military, law officers or just family members. Take a moment and remember the ones that we no longer have that have left us with what we have today ..

Sorry I rambled on about something that’s not Sleeved related.... BUT IT IS !!... what we have today is because of what others have afforded us.

Have a GREAT DAY, take a moment to reflect and realize we control where we go from here

Russ

[sraebaer]

You're right, the holiday has gotten away from the original purpose of honoring those who have died for our freedom. It has turned into a celebration of the beginning of summer.

[Ann2]

Yes ... earlier this morning I was sending a message this morning to friends and said that saying "Happy Memorial Day" just isn't right.

For me, I wish today for peace around the world and feel tremendous gratitude for our many freedoms, privileges, hopes, and opportunities earned for all by our military heroes and reinforced and strengthened by many other heroes.

BTW, in late October until November 11 my friends in Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth states ALL wear poppies to honor their military fallen. The American Legion brought to the States this custom of wearing a poppy on the Friday before Memorial Day. I wish more of us celebrated our fallen heroes in this very visual way.

P.S. Russ, you also have the freedom to open as many threads here as you wish. Whenever you wish. On any topic you wish to discuss.

[WANAGL]

Today
I pray for the families and loved ones of our Heroes who gave the altimate sacrifice for our country and for the republic of the USA.

[hosh]

Agreed on the Poppies -- I wish that tradition would have taken up in the US.

[sraebaer]

I remember buying poppies when I was younger. Wonder why it died out?

[EllisM80]

I swear it feels like you totally read and wrote my Facebook post in your own words! Lol

[KiwiGal]

We commemorate ANZAC day in New Zealand on the 25th April. We remember those Australians and New Zealanders who lost their lives fighting for us to have our freedom. We wear poppies as a symbol of Flanders Field where many lost their lives and where poppies were growing.
We have dawn services - very moving - and it is lovely to see how many families attend to remember our heroes.


In Flanders Fields By John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

[Bellagirl]

Thank you for putting it in perspective Russ. I work for a county hospital with a lot of psych patients who were military. I pray for those we lost and those that were left behind. We wore red felt poppies at work to commemorate the day.

[Dutchie]

Thank you for this posting.
In Europe each country has its own Memorial day, in the Netherlands that is May 4th.
We don't celebrate on that day, we do that one day later, on May 5th.
The fourth we remember our fallen soldiers, we have ceremonies, we lay flowers (no poppies) at Memorial sites.
It is a day for introspection.
The fifth however, we celebrate our freedom, our reason for existence.
Two completely different days.

In France Memorial day is June 6, D-Day, Operation Overlord, the day when our allies (you!) invaded the west coast of Nothern France, thus beginning the Liberation of the rest of Europe.
So in fact, my dear allied friends, I have to salute YOU, thank YOU, be immensely grateful for YOUR sacrificies.

I have been to France and Normandy many, many times, to visit the war cemeteries.
I think all Europeans should do that and teach it to our children.
But, as with many things, those who have not lived it (like me) have no clue as to how it was.
So it is difficult to pass on that feeling, that sentiment.

But I've seen YOUR soldiers, now far in their nineties, walk around those beaches, in tears.
I am also grateful to have seen YOUR young soldiers, 19, maybe 20 years old, that accompanied these old, fragile heroes.
The respect and love they showed towards these old soldiers, really have taken my breath away.
As I type this I have tears in my eyes, I was so intensely moved by this.

At all the War Cemeteries, with thousands and thousand graves, is the same sentence carved in marble:
LEST WE FORGET...

Let us never, ever forget...

It only takes one charismatic, megalomane idiot to start a world war...

[sraebaer]

If you're ever in KC come see the WWI museum. I think it's the only one in the states. Walking in you're on glass looking down at a huge poppy field. Just beautiful and very meaningful.

[Dutchie]

I just wanted to share this picture.
Friends of mine are in Arromanche, France, right now, to watch the ceremonies around D-Day.
They send me this picture of this 102-year old hero, who apperently comes to France every year to join the ceremonies.
Isn't he wonderful?
This year it was 75 years ago, that Operation Overlord started the liberation of Europe.
http://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/cale...day-847-2.html

IMG-20190605-WA0003.jpg

Another one is interviewd by a radio crew:

IMG-20190605-WA0011.jpg

[jackalope81]

I kinda get the people who just treat it as a day off. What really gets me is seeing "official" events dominated by people talking about veterans generally. Like you said Veterans day is for veterans. Armed Forces Day is for people serving now. Memorial Day is for people who died in service. It drives me nuts to see politicians who should know better use it to talk about veterans rather than their friends who aren't with us because they died in service.

[EllisM80]

I feel like it is for the veterans we've lost from suicide as well. We have approximately 22 soldier suicides a day. I'm always thankful for those who serve, whether it be on the front line or whether it be the family at home who sacrifices so much while their loved ones are fighting or dying for our freedom... but memorial day is for remembering those who have passed.