What Do You Celebrate on Memorial Day?

Memorial Day stems from the American Civil War which killed more than 600,000 both Union and Confederate soldiers between 1861 and 1865. First called Decoration Day when on May 30, 1868, veterans decorated war graves with flowers.

Over the years husbands, sons, fathers, siblings, and friends have died defending our freedom.

Some remember daily the sacrifice that was made like retired lieutenant, U.S. Navy SEAL, Jason C. Redman who has 30 names of his comrades tattooed on his arm, men he personally knew who died.

Imagine being the mother of 19-year-old “Bud” who died during World War II. She received a telegram dated October 13, 1944: “The Secretary of State regrets to inform you that your son, Lloyd Heitzman, was killed in Italy.”

Imagine.

Such a sacrifice.

“Gratitude changes your perspective about life. You see the future, experience the present, and remember the past in a dramatically different way.” – Erwin McManus

As we practice gratitude consider the following:

“Whether we observe the occasion through public ceremony or through private prayer, Memorial Day leaves few hearts unmoved. Each of the patriots whom we remember on this day was first a beloved son or daughter, a brother or sister, or a spouse, friend, and neighbor.”

– George H.W. Bush, 1992 *

“I only regret that I have but one life to live for my country.”

– Nathan Hale, Revolutionary War soldier *

“On this Memorial Day, it is right for us to remember the living and the dead for whom the call of their country has meant pain and sacrifice. A grateful nation is in their debt.”

– Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966 *

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We did not pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

– Ronald Reagan *

“Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt *

“We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage.”

– Theodore Roosevelt *

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

– Joseph Campbell *

“Ceremonies are important. But our gratitude has to be more than visits to the troops and once-a-year Memorial Day ceremonies. We honor the dead best by treating the living well.”

– Jennifer M. Granholm *

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God such men lived.”

– George S. Patton *

“Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay.”

– Barack Obama *

“Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world. A veteran does not have that problem.”

– Ronald Reagan *

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr. *

*(Woman’s Day/Getty Images)

“Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13

Thank you for visiting LuSays. For more from Lucille Williams check out her books: From Me to We, The Intimacy You Crave, The Impossible Kid.  And Turtle Finds His Talent for ages 2-6.