Memorial Day
I was leisurely walking down Larchmont this morning on a Monday off work. Near the beginning of the street, I passed a flag in a front yard indicating a parent of an Army soldier lived in that home. It got me reflecting on the meaning of Memorial Day, and I paused under a tree (as it was raining) to do some online research.
According to History.com, Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
It was hard enough for me to drop my kids off at college their freshman year, I can’t even imagine the range of emotions a parent of an Army soldier goes through when their child starts basic training. The flag I passed indicated pride, but I think I would also have feelings of trepidation. The reality is that most of those fallen veterans we honor on Memorial Day were probably 18-21 years old when they died, leaving behind parents and siblings. Thinking about it in this way gives me newfound respect for those we remember today.
As I was finishing up my walk at the corner of Larchmont and Madison, I noticed a large mural painted on a wall near the Chartreuse parking lot. It encouraged me to “Be Kind to Every Kind.” I feel blessed to live in a country where I have the freedom to follow that mission statement, and I thank those that have sacrificed to keep that vision alive.
