Friday, May 26, 2006

In Flander's Fields


The day was originally called "Decoration Day" as a day to decorate the graves of our fallen soldiers from the Civil War. Today we call it Memorial Day. It was first observed on May 30, 1868. It wasn't until after World War I that it became a day to remember the dead of all wars.

In 1971, congress passed the National Holiday Act moving Memorial Day to the last Monday in May so that we'd always have a three-day weekend. Some say that we've lost the original meaning of the day by making it part of a long weekend, and they may be right.

Many of us can remember when everything was closed for days like Memorial Day. It was a day of peace and rest. Today, many of us will have to work on Monday. The brave men and women who have given their lives for our country did so to protect our freedoms, including the freedom to work, play and shop on the day set aside to remember them.

In 2000, congress passed the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution. It calls for all Americans to pause for a moment at 3:00 PM (local time) on Monday for a moment of silence.

Our lives move much faster in 2006 than they did in 1868. We do everything in a hurry. Under the circumstances, maybe a "Moment of Remembrance" means just as much as an entire day meant 200 years ago.

Where ever you are on Monday, whatever you happen to be doing, we hope you'll join is in remembering those who have died so that we can enjoy living in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

In 1915, John Mc Crae wrote a poem for Memorial Day. It was called "In Flanders Fields."

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

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