Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start to summer vacation in the USA. When I think of Memorial Day I have images of backyard barbecues, public pools opening, beach picnics, and taking out my summer clothes. And, traditionally, you could only wear white after Memorial Day (personally that never made any sense to me and luckily no one cares anymore).
However, the real meaning of this holiday commemorates soldiers who have died in the war. I never really knew the origin, so I did some research and want to share it with you.
Originally Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day and was created to honor the soldiers who had died after the Civil War. In 1868 Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30 and flowers were to be placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country and it did not commemorate any special battle. However, the South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).
National Moment of Remembrance:
In 2000 President Bill Clinton signed the National Moment of Remembrance Act. This year on Memorial Day (May 29th) Americans are asked to observe a moment of remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time. As the Moment of Remembrance founder Carmella La Spada states: “It’s a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day.”
As a conscious ritual, let us all make a commitment to embodying peace. As the song goes, “Let peace begin with me”.
Until next time,
Barbara