As we slowly get back to work this Tuesday after the much needed four-day weekend, I’m sure you were grateful for your Monday vacation. It was a time to relax and enjoy what most of us consider the beginning of summer. However, it is easy to get caught up and not realize what the day is actually meant for. Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for all those who gave their lives in the service of our country. Although it is not a festive holiday of patriotism like the Fourth of July. It is equally as important to our country for its important moments of reflection.
I spent my Memorial Day at the annual National Memorial Day Parade in DC. It was nice to see all of the past and present members of the military being recognized for their service. With the iconic monuments on the Mall as a backdrop, it made for one of the most patriotic parades I have been to. At the half way point in the parade, at exactly 3:00, a moment of silence was observed as the playing of Taps was heard all along the parade route. It made for a very emotional moment and definitely forced you into reflection.
Like many others in the DC area, I also visited the monuments dedicated to our nation’s fallen heroes. The World War Two, Korean, and Vietnam memorials where covered in flowers and handwritten notes. I have visited the monuments many times before, but have never seen them look the way they did yesterday.