Memorial weekend

While at our cabin in the northwoods of Wisconsin, I took a moment to bow my head and remembered to thank all the brave men and women who have served and are serving in our Armed Forces. They who have sacrificed their lives and they who came home safely to keep our country in the blessed freedom that we enjoy on a daily basis. Its a shame that we have only two days in the year to honor them.....Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It seems to me that we use these days as a time to celebrate the beginning and end of summer. We go boating, picnicing, camping etc, which is fine in itself, but we seem to have lost the real meaning of these two days.

I remember as being a child from a small Illinois town, always participating in the Memorial Day parade. As a Brownie and/or Girl Scout, I would march in our designated group following the American flag carried proudly by the veterans of our town. The parade would go down a spectator lined Main Street and end at the town park. As the National Anthem was played, the flag was hoisted for all to see. Heads were bowed and lips sang out the words. Then Taps was played by a lone trumpeter standing far from the crowd on the other side of the park. Men, women and children could be seen wiping their eyes. To this day, hearing Taps and the National Anthem still brings tears to my eyes.

Many male members of my family fought in various wars. I thank them, some from the grave, for the sacrifices they made for the right to be free in this great land we called America.