MEMORIAL DAY 2008

It is Memorial Day Weekend, 2008.
We and our English bulldog Sophie Matilda are in our camp in Northern Michigan.
We are with friends.
Sometimes we are with family.
Not this time.
But they are with us in spirit and on the phone.

We are on holiday. But we are retired and on holiday, so it is not quite the same.

In his radio address yesterday, the President asked us to pause at 3:00 in memory of those who have given the last, full measure. We will do so.

We have been busy this weekend. This whole past week, in a relaxed sort of way.

There are things to do when you are in The North.

There is reacquainting with folks and things. There is going to all the old places: buying flowers; food; a few presents for downstaters; buying liquor for the empty locker; raking; cultivating; putting in boat poles; picking up boat; launching boat; getting advice on all sorts of things; looking up at the sky at night; walking the prize bulldog at all hours; entertaining folks you haven’t seen for months and months; and on and on.

And then there are things to do when you are Up North and it is Memorial Day Weekend.

There are Memorial Day things to do .

They should not be forgotten.

In some way, we should honor the Veterans. We should remember. It should be an obligation we happily undertake.

The President asked very little. Perhaps he did not ask enough.

Just what is Memorial Day?

Definition of Memorial Day:

Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday observed on the last Monday of May (in 2008 on May 26). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, after World War I it was expanded to include casualties of any war or military action.

And what can one do to properly commemorate such a day?

I can suggest a few things to do.

Firstly, we can pause at 3:00PM on The Day, as asked. And we can think about the men and women who have done their duty and who have paid so much for having done so.

Secondly, we Americans can do all the things we are accustomed to be doing that the sacrifices of our Veterans have made possible.

We can take pride in our nation’s accomplishments.
We can give or go to parties and enjoy fellowship with friends and family.
We can attend worship services.
We can garden.
We can go Up North or wherever.
We can thank a Vet if we recognize him as being one.

We can remind ourselves that our freedoms have been bought and paid for in blood and sweat and horrors too awful to talk about in polite company.

We can remind ourselves that the world is a beautiful AND a very dangerous place; that there are folks out there who would kill us if our serving military and our hyper power capabilities were not protecting us.

What we shouldn’t do is believe anyone, anyone, be they politicians or family members or friends, who think that the US is always the cause of problems or the reason why problems are not being solved.

Be polite. But don’t let anyone get away with such nonsense.

Our nation is unique. Our Veterans have done great service for us and for the world. Our Deceased Veterans have done all they could do.

Think of them for a moment and be thankful.

They have helped to make this Great Nation the Nation it is, thereby helping to make it the last, best hope of the world today.

And they have allowed us the opportunity to live our lives in our own Way.