MEMORIAL DAY
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Remembering Our Family And Friends And Loved Ones Past...
An original vinyl version... If you remember these tin sounding vacuum tube mono record players...you might just be..."an original" beatles fan
With Joy And Happiness And Laughter And Peace With All The Goodness We Shared With Each Other... IN MY LIFE ~ John and Beatles 
God Bless Our Loved Ones...Past and Present and Future
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In remembrance of the brave men and women who have served in all military branches, to protect the U.S. and Allied Interests around the world, so we might live safer lives at home. We will never forget.
one more: "We Shall Keep The Faith" by Moina Michael (191
History of Memorial Day: http://www.greatwar.co.uk/poems/moina-michael-we-shall-keep-faith.htm 
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Remembering Memorial Day ... and those who gave their lives defending our freedoms.
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Daddy told me once that I saved his life. He was about to be drafted into the Korean War when Mama told him she was expecting. I'm not sure why he thought he'd be killed, but he did. I have the deepest respect for anyone who serves in the military, and for Daddy, who didn't, but would have had it not been for me.
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When I grew up as a kid in the 50's and 60's, The Good Soldiers in my family and extended family always put flowers on the graves of family and friends whether they had been in the military or not. It was more of a general holiday to celebrate all of our loved ones past who had lived in service to life in their own special way.
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^^We did the same thing. I still do the flower thing for my father's grave. (My Dad, his brother, father, grandfather, g-grandfather, uncle were all in different wars so they have American flags on their graves today and I think it is just beautiful.) I put individual flowers on the other family members graves. When I was younger, and my grandmothers were still alive, we had family reunions. One I remember very well was at an old plantation graveyard, where some Civil War soldiers were buried, as well as other family. (Not the same place my Dad is buried.) The newest graves there were almost 100 years old. We would get together and have a picnic in the graveyard. It was so hot those days, but I will never forget them. It is a few miles from the town where, "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, is based upon. And the real town Truman Capote grew up in.
I miss those dayz alot. -
hey_kittay:
^^We did the same thing. I still do the flower thing for my father's grave. (My Dad, his brother, father, grandfather, g-grandfather, uncle were all in different wars so they have American flags on their graves today and I think it is just beautiful.) I put individual flowers on the other family members graves. When I was younger, and my grandmothers were still alive, we had family reunions. One I remember very well was at an old plantation graveyard, where some Civil War soldiers were buried, as well as other family. (Not the same place my Dad is buried.) The newest graves there were almost 100 years old. We would get together and have a picnic in the graveyard. It was so hot those days, but I will never forget them. It is a few miles from the town where, "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, is based upon. And the real town Truman Capote grew up in.
I miss those dayz alot. That is very cool, Kittay. The picnic in the graveyard is something I have read about, but never experienced. Southern women used to make the annual trek and pull weeds around loved ones' graves in their specific family's cemetery, as well, before they were all in the churchs' backyards or other public cemeteries. I always thought that was a loving thing to do. I ordered flowers for Daddy's grave yesterday--for June 13th, Father's Day weekend.
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^^ I am sure your Dad knows what you are doing and feels the Love you carry for him eternally. I know my Dad knows as well.
Yes, I would love to revive the traditions my grandmothers taught me with the younger children in the family. Oneday, maybe I can do it. I would love to teach them the traditions I learned from my elders which I cherish to this day. I think it is so important to know where your roots are, no matter where that might lead you. 
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hey_kittay:
^^ I am sure your Dad knows what you are doing and feels the Love you carry for him eternally. I know my Dad knows as well.
Yes, I would love to revive the traditions my grandmothers taught me with the younger children in the family. Oneday, maybe I can do it. I would love to teach them the traditions I learned from my elders which I cherish to this day. I think it is so important to know where your roots are, no matter where that might lead you. 
...and I'm always amazed how HARD it is for historians to give credit to Southern women, who started this tradition, called originally, Decoration Day. -
Happy Memorial Day 2015
While we celebrate our freedoms - or at least we should - we also need to remember all those who died in battles so we can enjoys life. Things are pretty grim for many Veterans. Time Magazine in February this year stated that approximately 8,000 Veterans commit suicide each year. http://time.com/3694053/veteran-suicide/ That is more Veterans killed each year than during the entire war against terror! If you see a veteran, say something nice to them. Remember - back in the 1970's - it wasn't a kind time for Veterans nearly everywhere in the U.S.A. -
^ It's nice that you promote your own personal freedoms Andy. We must remember to promote them for all people as well... like John //oo\\ tried to do. I had the incredible honor as a teenager to be a pallbearer at the funeral of a profound WWII soldier. He was my closest friend's uncle. He had been in the 106th Cavalry in Normandy, Northern France, Central Europe, The Rhineland and Ardennes as a car crewman involved in reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. Among his other decorations and citations, he received 5 Bronze Stars for pulling some fellow soldiers out of a burning tank. It was also the 106th Cavalry that the Nazis first surrendered to. I got to know him and his wife very well. During the funeral, when the VFW pallbearers were lining up by the casket, my friend's aunt asked if him and I iwould please join in with them. He and his wife and my friend and my family always decorated the graves of loved ones and friends on Memorial Day as well. Edit... I never learned of his heroism from him or his wife. His nephew told me about it years later. Some people seem to support our troops from a strictly nationalist point of view without recognition to our allies and others all over the earth who fight in many different ways for the true freedom of all people. He knew I was this type of person as well. It is why I felt incredibly honored when I was directed to grab on to the very front of the casket to help carry him back to our lord.
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Fan4-45years:
That is very cool, Kittay. The picnic in the graveyard is something I have read about, but never experienced. Southern women used to make the annual trek and pull weeds around loved ones' graves in their specific family's cemetery, as well, before they were all in the churchs' backyards or other public cemeteries. I always thought that was a loving thing to do. I ordered flowers for Daddy's grave yesterday--for June 13th, Father's Day weekend.
The Chinese have a special holiday, 清明節 (Tomb Sweeping Day), for cleaning the grave sites of your relatives. That has nothing to do with Memorial Day, but I think it's nice when people show respect for the dead. Which, I suppose, has a lot to do with Memorial Day.
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Andy_Shofar:
Remember - back in the 1970's - it wasn't a kind time for Veterans nearly everywhere in the U.S.A.
The way veterans have been treated sure changed a lot during the 20th century.
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SurSteven:
^ It's nice that you promote your own personal freedoms Andy. We must remember to promote them for all people as well...
Sorry we disagree - I wasn't promoting anything about my self. If anything I was encouraging that we need to appreciate those that gave up their lives for our freedoms. The Civil War was the saddest - had it gone the other way, maybe there would still be slavery until this day. Not too many people think about that - and our Nation would not have become one that fought for others freedoms around the world. I never fought in any war battles, but many have: my uncle, Jimmy fought in WWII in Germany as a bombardier - he never talked about it - but he did drink heavily, he died at 62. One other friend, Noah - fought with the ground troops in Germany - he didn't give into the drink, or drugs - but he just didn't want to talk about his service. He passed on in the late 1980's - in his late 80's. That was common for many men of the WWII generation - they preferred not to talk about it. We need to honor those that died in battles of the past & respect those that served and are still living. ---- 8,000 Veterans commit suicide each year - that's really sad, that's a disgrace!
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It would be nice if we could incorporate recognition for our fallen Firefighters, Law Enforcement Officers and other Public Servants into Decoration/Memorial Day as well. We seem to have a number of days through the year for our Veterans. There are many unsung heroes.
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Acknowledging fire fighters and police officers would make it harder to demonize their unions.
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Andy_Shofar:
That was common for many men of the WWII generation - they preferred not to talk about it. We need to honor those that died in battles of the past & respect those that served and are still living. ---- 8,000 Veterans commit suicide each year - that's really sad, that's a disgrace!
Yes, Andy, "not talking about it" seems to have been common among WWII veterans. They did not have the support that is available today. In retrospect, my father most certainly suffered from PTSD. As for Memorial Day, being born on May 30 (traditional Memorial Day) I always thought of it as a celebration of my birth and was spoiled by the day off school and parades in my honor.
It was disappointing when it became a Monday holiday. -
veggieburgher:
As for Memorial Day, being born on May 30 (traditional Memorial Day) I always thought of it as a celebration of my birth and was spoiled by the day off school and parades in my honor.
It was disappointing when it became a Monday holiday.I feel your pain. I was born on Thanksgiving.
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HaileyMcComet:
veggieburgher:
As for Memorial Day, being born on May 30 (traditional Memorial Day) I always thought of it as a celebration of my birth and was spoiled by the day off school and parades in my honor.
It was disappointing when it became a Monday holiday.I feel your pain. I was born on Thanksgiving.
My Dad was born on Xmas eve...that's bad too. We always celebrated his birthday along with Christmas.
