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What Memorial Day Means In Our Culture
How do people perceive Memorial Day in 2019? Some people think of Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial beginning of summer. Memorial Day is still remembered by citizens visiting and decorating the graves of veterans. For veterans 60 and over, Memorial Day represents a day when they remember their lost comrades and friends. Veterans of all ages will never forget the physical and emotional costs of war as long as they live.
Personal Reflections on Memorial Day
My father served in the Korean War in the Navy. He rarely spoke about his experiences; likewise, my uncle and my cousins who enlisted in the Marines seldom spoke about their time in the military. In the late 1940s, a high school graduate in a small town either went to work or joined the military. That trend continues to this day. One of my cousins shared that serving in the military makes a person grow up quickly.
In 2002, my father passed away. Eleven years later, my uncle passed away. Both were buried with military honors. Every Memorial Day, the grave sites of my father (shown above) and my uncle are among the thousands around the world that are decorated with a small American flag.
How Decoration Day Became Memorial Day
Initially, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30 as Decoration Day starting in 1868, the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs reported. Decoration Day became Memorial Day in 1971, Alexandria Antonopoulos wrote in 2016 in The Bustle. Once Memorial Day became a federal holiday, Ashley Ross wrote in Time Magazine in 2019, the holiday was moved to Monday as part of a three day weekend.
How Poppies Became Associated with Memorial Day
Poppies are the first wildflower to grow on battlefield savaged soil, Linda Barry wrote in Pensacola News Journal in 2019. The poppy’s seeds lie dormant in soil cultivated after fighting and burials and eventually they take root and begin growing, Barry added.
Why Veterans Feel Guilty Upon Returning Home
My cousin watched someone die while he was serving in Iraq. Veterans who returned and resumed their lives will always remember their friends who did not come back. Veterans who are over 60 (and younger) spend a lifetime feeling “survivor’s guilt”.
The Stressors Veterans Feel When They Return Home
Veterans lose friends, limbs, eyesight and peace of mind, and are unable to find, and keep, a job. They are likely to become homeless and dependent on government assistance. In addition, they come home to troubled marriages and children who barely know them. They suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Warrior’s Return: Restoring the Soul After War talks about the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual pain veterans go through.
What We Can Do for Veterans of All Ages
Don’t forget to thank veterans for their service when you see them at the grocery store selling poppies. Veterans will appreciate your gratitude when you see them at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall or on a Honor Flight.
