For better and worse, each death shaped our nation. Each death contributed to what we are today.
My own war experience in Iraq in 2005 and 2006 was far different from my father’s. I wasn’t wounded. Fortunately, none of the men in my company were killed in action during our tour. But now I know my father’s melancholy on Memorial Day. I feel it, and it’s the reason I found myself on the verge of lashing out last week when a salesman on the street thrust a flier into my hands titled “Memorial Day Blow-out Sale.”
I regained composure and thought about the question I had asked myself as a child: Were they wrong to celebrate?
Few Americans would disagree with the sanctity of Memorial Day. Yet the holiday has become a shopping spree, a party. Retail sales surge as stores release new summer offerings. The holiday weekend is among the top 10 shopping periods each year. Meanwhile, the local parade in my home town is more sparsely attended, and fewer people appear to travel to cemeteries to pay respects to the war dead.
These trends are likely to continue now that the levels of violence have dropped in Iraq and Afghanistan, and American service members appear less frequently in the media. They will continue unless we are more deliberate with our time. After all, our values are shaped by where and how we spend our time.
Memorial Day weekend doesn’t need to be a somber event for all. Naturally, it will be different for those families whose lives have been scarred by combat. But you don’t need to have experienced war to pay your respects.
So this Memorial Day weekend consider taking a half-hour to honor our war dead. Have a conversation with your children or your parents. Pause. Reflect. If you can make more time, visit a cemetery or take a child to a local parade, then talk to them about service. If you can’t travel, watch a Memorial Day concert or parade. Whatever it is, do something deliberate and out of your way.
Is it wrong to celebrate?
No, it’s not wrong. But it will be a far more meaningful celebration if it starts with recognizing why we have the opportunity to celebrate.
I didn’t start editing that video until late Sunday, deliberating over choice of music. I don’t know how well the Alison Krauss song fits (maybe not at all) but there’s something spiritually soothing in its sound. The photos are somewhat randomly chosen from my files (exceptions being the ones of Frank Buckles and personal photos provided by Shannon Galloway, Justine McDermott, and Sheba Khan- mother to Kareem Khan).
I tried to credit all the photos, but that was probably a messy effort.
Past efforts:
2009:
2008:
2007:
Also had to upload this:
Powerful! Well done, well done indeed!
Wordsmith yes very poignant, hit you right there,
thank you
You made my eyes leak this morning, thanks
The videos hit the spot.
I don’t know if this has been posted here before, but here is an awesome video of a Gene Simmons’ tribute to the troops.
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Can’t say enough,very well done.
BEST TO THE BRAVES, WHAT A TRIBUTE, THEY DESERVED, ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN
THANK YOU
OLD TROOPER 2, WE MISS YOU.
Word OUTSTANDING
Semper Fi
Awesome work once again Word!
Good work! I loved that you ended it with “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms”.
The most poignant moment in all of filmdom, IMHO, is the opening to “Private Ryan”. One knows immediately where this guy is heading with his family in tow. Powerful. Great post.
MY MY, HOW I ‘M GLAD TO BE HERE WITH such a group who can get their eyes wet,from emotion,
and humbly praise the braves on this special day, those proud one who left this earth, gave me the vision of being
remembered often here at FA, they left their strenght to this AMERICA TO FIGHT THOSE WHO WANT
TO HURT US ALL in many ways possible to their imagination,and beyong,
I love my blog, because I love what I see here; intelligence tolerance fighting spirit of the braves ,
absolutly the best of AMERICA
@MissBirdlegs in AL:
Hah! I’m glad you recognized it. My biggest problem is I always want to cram in too many photos when there isn’t enough music to stretch it out.
The closing credits are messy, but I wanted to acknowledge my sources. I’d do it differently now (it was almost 2am when I decided to hurry and wrap it up). Either condense the credits or use a longer track of “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”.
@Wordsmith: I really thought it made it perfect.
Miss Birdlegs in AL, YES, absolutly perfect
GENE SIMMONS,
A FOREVER CLASS ACT,
THANK YOU GENE SIMMONS YOU ARE DYNAMITE
@ Another Vet, wow
Thank you…..