Thank you for your memories. Many of us have the same (or deviate
a teeny bit).
Never the less, I hope we all remember we are free because so
many have fought for our place in this world..
Not always those who were born here but those who came here and
started new lives. We have a wonderful
country and it has been made up of those who gave to show their
beliefs. Also those who continue to try and
keep our country free. Thank you for your well-written note.
And may God Bless our troops and continue
to bless our country.
On 5/28/2010 6:27 AM, Laurie Frederiksen wrote:
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When I
was very small, Memorial Day meant a cookout at my grandparents. My
grandfather was a child of immigrants, a former member of the US Air
Force and a veteran of two wars. He was very proud of the United
States and also of the speakers for his record player which could play
music outside. During the picnic he’d play patriotic music and give us
little flags which we put all over his yard. He is the one that taught
me that war is something that should be avoided if at all possible.
Since he was a participant in two of them, I trust his judgment to
this day.
When I
was in high school, Memorial Day included a local parade where those
of us in the band tried not to pass out as we wore our cast off wool
West Point Uniform band jackets in what inevitably was sweltering
heat. Our parade would end at our town cemetery. Younger members
of the community would plant little flags on veterans graves. The
ceremony would end with the playing of Taps followed by the echo of
Taps from a bugle far away. To this day, that simple part of a
Memorial Day ceremony gives me chills with the power it has to bring
home the meaning of the day.
More
recent Memorial Days have included flag retirement ceremonies put on by
my son’s Boy Scout troop. The proper way to dispose of a worn out US
Flag is to cut it up and burn it. Our troop would gather hundreds of
worn out flags from our community and conduct a ceremony which provided
the proper setting and respect for this important task. There were
many stories that came to us with those flags and the troop would share
them as each boy gently laid the cut up pieces in the fire. It is good
to pause sometimes and reflect on the meaning this symbol has for us
all.
The
United States is great because of it’s diversity and all the times it’s
citizens have chosen to give rather than to take. To all of you and
your families who have chosen to do your part to make this a special
place, we would like to say thank you. We wish everyone a special
day of remembrance for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for
us all.
Laurie
Frederiksen
www.bivio.com
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