The dead soldier’s silence sings our national anthem.”

For special days, I have traditional postings. This is one of them. 

Memorial Day is a day for reflection and a day to give thanks. It is a day for honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military, those who gave, as President Lincoln once said, their “last full measure of devotion.” This is my annual tribute. 

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. It originated during the American Civi War when citizens placed flowers on the graves of those who had been killed in battle. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication “To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead.” While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860′s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in General Logan, Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, giving his official proclamation in 1868 designating May 30 as a memorial day “for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.”. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

The clouds are back, but the sun every now and then tries to poke through. Right now it is in the 60’s but could get warmer. The nights still go down to the 50’s so the house is cool in the mornings. When I went to get the paper today, I noticed the pine pollen. The green powder is covering my car. I need to keep the windows closed.

My dance card is near empty this week. I have the usual uke practice and lesson, but no concerts, and nothing else is scheduled. I think I’ll have no excuse for avoiding cleaning. The dust balls have taken over. Even a sloth has to work occasionally.

When I was growing up, I learned certain things. My mother used to tell us it was too cold to snow. We believed her. If we swallowed gum, it would form a giant ball in our stomachs. I envisioned something the size of a cannon ball just waiting to burst. I never swallowed watermelon seeds. I didn’t want a garden of them growing in my stomach. We couldn’t leave anything on our plates. Kids were dying of starvation in China. Drinking coffee stunts growth. Going outside in winter with wet hair causes a cold. We all know about sitting close to the TV. Lying makes your tongue turn black. Eating chocolate gives you pimples. Despite all the carrots I’ve eaten, I’m still waiting to see in the dark.

My house has sounds, but I know most of them. The nights are noisy, but I know who or what is making the sounds. I usually sleep deeply, but every now and then my subconscious jolts me awake to a sound I don’t recognize. Sometimes I go to the window and listen out of curiosity, not fear. The sounds are not scary. They are just a surprise.