For many this will be the first Memorial Day to have a personal meaning. For others, it will be another chance to remember a father, mother, brother, sister or friend that paid the ultimate sacrifice for this country.

For many it will simply be a time to grill a steak, drink a beer and have time off.

In the early days, it was called Decoration Day and it commemorated U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. It was first enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War and then extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars.

By 1865 the practice of decorating soldiers' graves had become widespread in the North. The first known observance was in Waterloo, New York on May 5, 1866, and each year thereafter.

It was the friendship between General John Murray and General John A. Logan, that helped bring attention to the event nationwide and a factor in the holiday's growth.

By the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory. Ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not.

Today it has become simply a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family get-togethers, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events. And that is okay.

However, the purpose of Memorial Day is to help us remember the sacrifices made by our military members of all ages, all conflicts and all branches of service. 

To remember that our Freedom is not Free.

A veteran is someone who has served our country in military service whether they are in the Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard or Army. With that thought in mind, someone penned the following poem:

It was the Veteran,
not the preacher,
who gave us freedom of religion.

It was the Veteran,
not the reporter,
who gave us freedom of the press.
 

It was the Veteran, 
not the poet,
who gave us freedom of speech.
 
It was the Veteran,
not the campus organizer,

who gave us freedom to assemble.

It was the Veteran,

not the lawyer,
who gave us the right to a fair trial.

It was the Veteran,

not the politician,
who gave us the right to vote.

It was the Veteran who saluted the Flag, who served
under the Flag, who gave his oath to support and defend the Constitution and Our Nation
against all Enemies, Foreign and Domestic;

willing to give his life to protect your freedoms and mine; whose coffin is draped by the flag,

who allows the protester to burn the flag.

Remember!

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read it in English, thank a Veteran!