“We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. … Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.” — Gen. John Logan

Contrary to popular belief, Memorial Day in the United States of America does not celebrate a three day holiday weekend that offers fantastic savings on all your furniture needs (free interest for four years.)

From the Department of Veterans Affairs web site:

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

The History Channel’s web site covering Memorial Day provides Major General Logan’s declaration:

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation’s Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:

“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.”

That first ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery set the tone for local observances that began sweeping the nation .

I’m not sure what it says about our nation that Memorial Day has become, evidently, the day to shop for new furniture (it is the biggest furniture sales day of the year), barbeque, enjoy an additional day off from work — not that any of those things are inherently bad. They’re not. But I find obscene the act of supplanting a holiday’s original meaning with behavior that doesn’t even acknowledge why the holiday exists to begin with.

Especially at this time in our nation’s history, it’s imporant to make the distinction between the honorable voluntary — and at times involuntary — service performed, and sacrifices made by those men and women who have died in the service of our country, and our own individual opinions of war.

Today is not about us; it’s about them.

Like a nation, the military service is made up of individual people — people who have mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, friends. They all had hopes and dreams, much of which went unfulfilled when their lives came to an end. Memorial Day is as much an observance of the honorable service performed by these people as it is what futures they gave up to perform that service on our behalf.

That some people in this country do not wish that service performed on their behalf does in no way diminish the fact it was performed, in good faith, nonetheless.

There has never been a “small war” to those who fought it, and there has never been an insignificant sacrifice by those who’ve made it.

Finally, here copied are the words to a song that many consider cover the roots of Memorial Day. Please read it and consider the larger meaning.

“Kneel Where Our Loves Are Sleeping”
Words by G.W.R.
Music by Mrs. L. Nella Sweet

Kneel where our loves are sleeping, Dear ones days gone by,
Here we bow in holy reverence, Our bosoms heave the heartfelt sigh.
They fell like brave men, true as steel, And pour’d their blood like rain,
We feel we owe them all we have, And can but weep and kneel again.

Kneel where our loves are sleeping, They lost but still were good and true,
Our fathers, brothers fell still fighting, We weep, ‘tis all that we can do.

Here we find our noble dead, Their spirits soar’d to him above,
Rest they now about his throne, For God is mercy, God is love.
Then let us pray that we may live, As pure and good as they have been,
That dying we may ask of him, To open the gate and let us in.

Kneel where our loves are sleeping, They lost but still were good and true,
Our fathers, brothers fell still fighting, We weep, ‘tis all that we can do.”