Memorial Day began shortly after the Civil War as Decoration Day. It was a day to remember those Union Soldiers who died during the War Between the States.
But the 1900s, it had morphed into the holiday that we know it as today, Memorial Day – a day to remember all Americans who died in the service of their country. Every Memorial Day, tens of thousands of volunteers across the nation fan out across the cemeteries of the United States, marking the graves of our servicemen and women with a United States flag.
This morning, as we do each year, my scouts fanned out across Berlin Cemetery to help the VFW place flags. This year was special for my family, as Tree Rider was able to help out for the first time.
Last week, as I was standing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington Square in Philadelphia, I took special notice of the words carved into the lid of the tomb – “Beneath this stone rests a soldier of Washington’s army who died to give you liberty.” Today, before the barbecues and parties (ours starts in a few minutes), take a moment to reflect on that man and his brothers and sisters before and since who’ve made that ultimate sacrifice.
Very well said! I just recently learned that Memorial day was started by freed slaves to remember the fallen Union Soldiers who died so that they could be set free.