To my dear Parkinson’s community of readers,
Memorial Day has special meaning to me since my own father served in the Aleutian Islands during WW2. He lost both legs due to exposure. He spent the first years of my parents’ marriage in military hospitals and experienced great pain the rest of his life as a result. But he never complained.
Memorial Day honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. In the past it was called Decoration Day, and people used to spend the day placing flowers and flags on the graves of fallen soldiers.
Did you know that Memorial Day wasn’t legally named Memorial Day until 1967? Do you know why? The name was changed in 1971, because so many Vietnam war soldiers who died could not be brought home. Therefore, no graves to decorate. I can’t imagine not being able to visit the gravesite of a loved one, and not even knowing where they are.
I saw an article written by a veteran, where he was upset because all of the ads on TV said, “Celebrate our troops on Memorial Day.” He had one request: “Don’t treat Memorial Day as a day to honor our troops currently serving in the military.”
I’ve made this mistake myself. While trying to be respectful, we mistakenly lump all veterans together on this holiday.
To quote his words describing the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day (click here to read the full article): “Memorial Day is very sacred, because it celebrates the sacrifices of every member of the armed forces who gave his or her life for our country. Veterans Day is a day, along with every day, to thank and honor those who have served in our military.”
Save Memorial Day for remembering and honoring those who have died. This one day each year is all they and their loved ones have left.
💜 Coach Kimberly