Memorial Day is a day to remember the men and women who died in service to their country. It’s also a reminder to us that we live in community. Their sacrifice was given not for themselves, but for others. Our well-being is not possible on our efforts alone. All across the country, communities are honoring their sons and daughters who lost their lives.
What events might be happening in the area where you live? Commemoration events, laying of wreaths, parades, fly-pasts, and fireworks are possibilities. There are also music and cultural events, outdoor activities, and a variety of sports and festivals. Some people are concerned the non-military events take away from the solemnity of the day. But, in a way, the activities also underscore the reason why. These celebrations are possible for us because of the sacrifice of others.
Many families will be using the time to get together. This is community on a small scale, a little up from the family and extended family, to neighborhood, and then to the area where you live. Being a part of Memorial Day activities, in whatever their form, makes community of the country and pockets around the world.
We need others, and in turn, they need us. We can extend celebrations to the question: What role can we play in service to others? For children, being of service starts, again, in the community of the family. Instead of just seeing chores as work that has to be done, we can help them understand that as they do these tasks, they are helping the people around them. As with life, Memorial Day will involve work and play, and the very basis, life and death. For children to understand the meaning of Memorial Day, they need the context of being part of a community, to honor, to celebrate, to serve. How will your family honor and celebrate Memorial Day? How will you connect to community?
