When I was young, Memorial Day was a big holiday. A large gathering of my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins would form a caravan of vehicles and visit rural graveyards, placing flowers on the graves of relatives who died long ago. My Uncle Claude would place a small American flag on the graves of the veterans.
We'd have a picnic lunch at a roadside park (back when such things existed) and eventually make our way home. It really wasn't a somber event - it was more a celebration of those who had passed on.
I continue the tradition in a much more limited fashion these days. My Mom and I pay our respects at a few family plots and leave flowers. We also place flags by my Grandfather Hill's grave (he was a veteran of World War I) and my father's grave (he served in the Navy during World War II).
I hope, as a nation, we never forget the debt we owe to the untold thousands of men and women who served their country.
I urge you to observe the day by taking a few moments and remembering your loved ones - even the ancestors you never met. We wouldn't be here without them!
Happy Memorial Day, everyone!
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