Today is memorial day or as my dad called it Decoration day. Not many know or care for that matter how the national holiday came about. Just the first long week end the start of the summer season so they can fish, go to the beach, cook out, travel and catch up on yard work.
When I was a child the war to end all wars had not been over all that long Many of the fallen men & women who served in that war had been dead less 8 short years at the most, those who fought in the first war to stop communist were still there fighting & dying only to be forgotten When their war was over and forever be over shadowed by the greatest generation as it has became common to call the era of WWII Veterans in the same breath.
Our routine started early Friday morning at home with mom cooking food for our picnic lunches on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday my folks went to the farmers market to buy flats of flowers. We went to the parents of my father graves first since they were closer to our home and plant to plant of those flowers. Then to school mates on dads and those who served with him he knew to place flowers also, Many times meeting their family’s and hugs all around pats on the heads and comments of my he/they have grown since last year. Then we would go someplace like a park and have that picnic lunch mom had made up on Friday. In the afternoon we would go to smaller even more rural area to visit graves of other men who had served with my dad and kin folks who had died.
Sunday Morning very early we were up and on the road for the long 4 hour drive to my mom’s folks grave sites and other men who gave their lives for this country. Once that was finished we again found a nice park to have another of moms picnic lunch’s in. In the afternoon we would go to visit mom’s second oldest sister and family. A bore for us young ones as they lived in a town and had no children our age. Sometimes we were allowed to walk to one of the town parks and play and not get dirty. Monday early we were again on the road for just a short trip to visit mom’s oldest sister and her family. At least they had a girl and a boy near our age to play with and lived in the country. It was a short visit though as dad had that long 4 hour drive back home so he could make it to work Tuesday morning.
Seems funny today I can drive those same roads to get to the same up north grave sites in a bit less than 3 hours because no one travels on those roads today. I can also take the interstate and make the trip in 1hour and 20 minutes.
So today while you are fishing or catching up on yard work stop for brief time and think of the men who gave their life to make this holiday come about way back so many years ago even my grand dads were not old enough to serve in it.
Al
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Today is memorial day
