By Dixie 
It’s Memorial Day and raining and my husband is binge watching war movies. He likes war movies and tries unsuccessfully to get me to watch too. I’ve never been a fan of that genre since watching ‘Apocalypse Now’ and yep, I’m still haunted by that movie 45 years ago.
I am a huge baby about violence and closely study reviews before watching any movie. The dog cannot die, children cannot be abused, and no blood shed unless it is in offing the bad guy, quickly. (I don’t see many movies anymore.)
I had a high school history teacher who spoke a lot about ‘man’s inhumanity to man’ in wartimes. He talked about cities bombed and destroyed in an instant, villages burned, and citizens taken hostage, soldiers seeing their combat brothers shot in front of them. He talked about the incredible suffering our soldiers went through at Normandy, Midway, Fallujah, Iwo Jima, and so many others.
Being a sheltered 16-year-old in a small town and a smaller high school, I could not imagine the examples he gave were true. But they were.
Memorial Day has become the unofficial start of Summer, kids are out of school, and beach vacations are beginning. There are families getting together grilling hamburgers and ribs, the first watermelon of the season being cut and shared, and swimming pools opening. We headed out the door on Friday afternoon, telling our co-workers “Happy Memorial Day”.
Yesterday, a lady on a beach tourism social media page asked (innocently) if there were places to take kids to watch fireworks. A flurry of keyboard warriors immediately replied they were offended that she dared to ask because it was not about celebrating but honoring those who died in the armed services. But a few others posted some events going on.
It’s hard to know what to do about a holiday that isn’t really…happy.
Memorial Day is about respect and honor for the brave service men and women who lost their lives fighting for our country. It is especially poignant that the great majority were right out of high school and experienced the worse of human behaviors, most under the age of 20. They never got to live most of their lives.
It is a sad day for too many, especially those who have opened their front door to two servicemen or women in dress uniform saying the words, “I regret to inform you…”.
A Gold Star no one wants from a wound that never heals.
And…somehow, I imagine our fallen heroes in Heaven today, looking down and smiling when they see their lives and courage wasn’t wasted. I believe they rejoice seeing families all together today, eating and celebrating.
They celebrate when they see the nation get together for even one day to honor their sacrifice. Despite our differences in opinions, whether in political parties or how to honor our fallen on Memorial Day, the American flag is still flying. They gave all so we could have it all.
And although it isn’t Veteran’s Day, we can’t forget the veterans who are still here and suffer from their memories. Fireworks can reopen the trauma of war. Let’s leave the fireworks for Independence Day in honor of our veterans.
May we always remember and never forget our American heroes.