MEMORIAL DAY (part one)
The Literate Show commemorates a special American holiday with the first of several posts over the long weekend. Memorial Day is not about selling cars or mattresses. It’s not about cookouts or boisterous advertisements, nor is it the “start of summer”. It’s not even the day to thank a veteran for their service. Not on Memorial Day.
Memorial Day is our time to honor the United States servicemen and women who died in active service.
Those of us who live in the USA owe our freedom to countrymen who fought and were killed in foreign lands, skies and oceans. Who fought on our own lands, too. They died young, midlife and old.
They died not knowing you. They died, wanting to live. They did not want to fight a day longer than they had too, but for each, a war was their end.
The proverbial kiss in Times Square never seeped into their senses. They didn’t feel the thrill of rushing off a train to be forever united with their hometown sweetheart. They didn’t get to say the words “It’s over and I can go home.”
They didn’t have the opportunity to feel the pride of shaking the hand of a former enemy who had built his life back up again, in the free world.
Our men and women died for us. This weekend, we honor them.
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