Memorial Day

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How do you greet someone on Memorial Day? Social media posts that begin, "Happy Memorial Day," never sit right with me. On the day a friend is burying a loved one, I wouldn't greet them with "Happy Funeral Day!" People often confuse Memorial Day with Veteran's Day.

Memorial Day was first introduced on May 5, 1868, when Major General John A. Logan issued General Orders No. 11, also known as the "Memorial Day Act." This order formally established "Memorial Day" as a Decoration Day on which we, as a nation, would remember those who gave their life while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, decorating their graves as a way to honor their sacrifice.

When asking Google what NOT to do on Memorial Day, the number one thing was "Don't wish someone a Happy Memorial Day." It is not a holiday to be happy but, rather, we should be somber as we remember those lives lost. It also said to not thank an active-duty service member, specifically because it is Memorial Day. That would be something you would want to recognize on Veteran's Day - or any other day of the year - as these soldiers, as well as their families, have made a lot of personal sacrifices to protect your freedom. We also should not allow the current political climate to affect how we view this day. Whether you are proud of where the United States stands currently or not, does not have any bearing on the fact that these service men and women have sacrificed their very life fighting for the freedoms and comfortability you currently live with.

Tomorrow, as we observe this national holiday, let us pause in silence to thank the men and women who laid down their very lives for this country.  "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13 (NIV)

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