Okay, let’s be clear, just in case anyone has forgotten:
Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (in 2008 on May 26). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action.
There’s no one in my family who fits the bill, but with our current involvement in the Iraqi conflict, I’ve already come to be connected to two lost members of the military. One of them, a member of the Star Trek pbem RPG I write for, and the other, the son of the Principal of the school my boys attend. That one, of course, hits a bit closer to home in terms of bringing the realities of conflict home for my children. Whatever your feelings about any given war, those who have died in service to our country deserve our respect. Please, share stories of your own family Memorial Day connections, and tell us how you explain the meaning of the day to your kids.
