Memorial Day

Memorial Day can be one of those days we spend enjoying good food and family with out a thought about what this day was set aside to commemorate. Years ago I went to a Memorial Day parade in my grandparent's town of Deruyter, New York.

Grandpa Johnson was a WWII Vet and my stepdad was in the Airforce so the two off them rode together down the parade route into the town cemetary. Their scooters were decked out in American Flags and we all wore red poppies. Waiting for the parade of veterens to reach us in the cemetary we stood near Uncle Tom's headstone as grandma told us stories of his time as a Golden Knight and she and the other ladies adorned the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and ribbons. They were friends and family who had served their country. Some had fallen in battle paying the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and others has lived to enjoy the freedom they had striven to protect.

When the parade reached the top of the hill the sad bugle call of Taps could be heard from among the graves far off honoring those who had fought. Grandpa Johnson loved this country and has now gone on to a more blessed land where war has ceased and the Prince of Peace reigns. I pray the legacy he left of honoring the brave who have fought for us, for our freedom continues and that every Memorial Day my thoughts and prayers go to those who have sacrificed and are still sacrificing for America the land of the free because of the brave!!!

In Flanders Fields
John McCrea 1915

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row by 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 Flander's fields