Memorial Day.......

It was a day to remember those soldiers who died during the times of fighting in a war.  The day has evolved to be a day to remember all people who had also been in a war and are now gone.  Traditions turned it into a day to decorate graves of all members of family that have passed away.  My vivid memories as a young boy was the taking of cut flowers from the gardens and placing them on the graves.  Flowers put into mason jars of water helped to make them last longer but in most cases the flowers where wilted and gone in a couple of days.  Plastic flowers became the rage to replace real flowers as they can stay in bloom for many a season.  Silk flowers became a better solution as time has passed. 

The memories of the iris and peonies will always be a permanent memory for me as we would go to cemeteries of old to visit lost parents and grandparents. There are graves of great grandparents that I really have not visited but maybe I can visit them now with more knowledge of where they are buried.  Thanks to the internet we are open to so much more good information in finding graves.

The true original purpose was to remember those who fell during the battle.  My step cousin died at Normandy before I was born. George Horton is buried at the American cemetery near Normandy Beach.  My friend in school and a neighboring farm boy Norman Bettis, died in Vietnam while driving a supply truck.  He had not been in the war no more than three months before he was killed by a bomb.  A first cousin that I never knew because of a divorce of my uncle, was not killed in Vietnam but his death was caused because of his exposure to agent orange.  Max Burgus visited my father, his Uncle Jesse, before he died. He had been there to meet my dad.  He died weeks later.

I am grateful for my ability to commemorate those on this day.  When we remember to honor Memorial Day, I do hope everyone remembers those who were lost and appreciates the job that they did for out country.