Memorial Day: A Day to Mourn

“Happy Memorial Day!” I hear everyone saying today.

Happy?  Really?

“It’s just another day to me,” someone shrugged.

“The pool’s open!” exclaimed another jubilantly. “We’re having a picnic,” still others remarked.

Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, began as a day of remembrance for soldiers who were killed in the Civil War. It was later expanded to include fallen American soldiers from every war. It is a national day of mourning for those whose lives have been lost to keep our country free. But as I look around me, I don’t see much mourning.  It’s a holiday, a day to celebrate — it seems to have become a cross between Independence Day and Veterans Day, as we celebrate our country’s freedom and throw out phrases of thanks to our men who have served or are serving in the military, amidst feasting and fun.

But we already have an Independence Day to celebrate our freedom. And we already have a Veterans Day to honor our veterans.

As long as I can remember, Memorial Day in our family was a day to be sober… a day to pay our respects to the dead — particularly those who died in service to our country, but really, all of our family members who have died were remembered and respected on this day. In those days, decades ago, the cemeteries were full of others doing the same thing. There were lines upon lines of cars parked all over the cemetery, and people everywhere.

Today I was at several cemeteries where we were the only ones there. Only one, the largest cemetery we visited, had a handful of other people there.

What has happened to paying tribute to the dead?

Regardless of how you spent your day, I issue you a challenge in this moment. Take a moment to remember our fallen soldiers, who gave their lives for our freedom. If you don’t know a fallen soldier, I will give you one to remember.

Laura doesn’t talk about Memorial Day in the Little House books, so we don’t know whether they commemorated the day or not, but if they did, I know who would have been on their minds on this day: Ma’s brother, Joseph Quiner, who died on April 28, 1862,  from wounds incurred during the Battle of Shiloh. What thoughts do you think would have been going through Ma’s mind on Memorial Day?

Let’s honor Laura’s Uncle Joseph and all of the other men and women who have lost their lives in service to our country with a time of solemn remembrance and mourning.