email to my children and grands Sunday morning, May 24, 2020
Is it appropriate to say Happy Memorial Day? It is a day for remembering those who have lost their lives in the service of our country. Even who have lost a part of their lives in service, even if they lived to die another day. A day to remember sacrifice and the blessings that we enjoy because of that sacrifice. It is sad to think of all the fine fathers, sons, brothers, yes and mothers, wives, and sisters, and friends that have died. What would we say instead? Meaningful Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial start of summer, a day for family and friends, picnics and BBQs. I don’t think our honored deceased service men and women mind at all as long as we don’t forget them. They lived, served, fought, and died for their families, friends, and all the good things in America.
How are you spending Memorial Day?
It seems very strange to me not be be spending the morning at Mt. Vernon Memorial Lawn’s Memorial Day Observance. When my kids were still kids, we often headed for the beach after the event. More recently, we met up with Hinds at Wendy’s before dispersing. Sometimes, but not often enough we had a family gathering later.
Mt. Vernon Memorial has always put on such a beautiful, inspiring, meaningful event. I will miss it. But! David suggested that we do what the originators of the holiday did and honor our kindred dead - and some other veterans buried in the same place. Esque and Tom Frost (my grandmother’s brothers) are buried right down the road from us in St. Mary’s Cemetery. We will trim the grass around the headstones if it needs it and leave a flag and maybe another decoration. David and Teresa have 20 small flags we can place on veterans’ graves.
I didn’t come on board soon enough to buy flags. But I have ribbons from when I have made pins for veterans and little wooden stars from when I made Nativities for a church dinner. I have no stakes, but I have popsicle sticks - also from the Nativities. Miriam got all creative and inspired and had me take her my supplies and a hot glue gun. I have no idea yet what she is making. She and I are on different clocks. I collapse into bed about the time she fully comes to life. I am eager to see what she did . Or if she didn’t finish, to see if I can manage to make some today after Home Church. She asked me if 25 would be good. Boy, Howdy! Would it! I am sure there are many more veteran’s graves at St. Mary’s than that, but, I was afraid shw would only make a few. And, sorry, we are only human (and not highly organized human, at that).
Not sure if we are going to do anything together after visiting the graves. It’s going to be heating up - the first unofficial day of summer, of course. We won’t picnic in the cemetery as there will probably be many families visiting and also there is almost no shade there. I expect the parks will be busy, too. And if we go early enough to not swelter, I won’t have much time to prepare food, anyway. I fear that we will return to our respective homes and enjoy the benefits of electric fans and AC. Hooray for electricity. Love our mini ducts!
I wanted to invite everyone in the area, but gatherings of more than 10 are forbidden and kids (and grandmas!!!) are pretty bad at social distancing. I hope we can get together in person again soon.
I hope that we manage to get together more often via technology now and, both in person and via technology going forward..
Wishing you a Happy and Meaningful Memorial Day and lots of love!
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