Remembering

Memorial Day 2007

It is said that Decoration Day (later called Memorial Day) first began when Civil War widows remembered their lost husbands, sons and fathers by placing flowers on their graves. Later following World War I, Memorial Day was set aside to honor all fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our country.

I remember many Memorial Days from my childhood. In Iowa, we had lilac trees and peony bushes (with tiny black ants scurrying frantically over the unopened buds.) I remember helping my mother and grandmother cut these fragrant fresh flowers so that we could make a short drive to the cemetary. There we placed bouquets on the graves of loved ones and remembered the classmate of my father who was killed in WWII. His parents lived on the street behind our house. They were members of our church. Mrs. Martin had an arbor with climbing roses over it which I liked to walk through.

We would buy red crepe paper poppies from someone outside the grocery store or the "dime" store. Those red poppies honored those who died serving the nation during war. The poppies referred to those that bloom in profusion in Flanders, Belgium where war casualties of WWI had been buried.

And what memories have our children of Memorial Days of their childhood? I fear that there are few. Early on we would "open" summer at the cabin at Clear Lake or at otherlake with friends or family. Once we moved south life moved more swiftly and everything became more complicated. Maybe it is not too late to go back, at least for one day each year to remember and be thankful.

All gave some - Some gave all.