I saw an interesting post from a veteran friend of mine, who pointed out that there was, indeed, a difference between Memorial Day and Veteran's Day, and that people oft confused the two. According to him (and, let's face it, the truth), Veteran's Day is for all vets (with an eye, really, toward the living) and Memorial Day is for those who died in the line of duty.
Which, of course, got me thinking that, as per that definition, I don't know anyone to memorialize on Memorial Day -- and I'm pretty much OK with that and would like to keep it that way, if I'm being perfectly honest (and understandably selfish). That doesn't mean that I can't still honor those whom I don't know personally -- family members of co-workers, the young faces I see too often on the news (still), and, most definitely -- all those who may be nameless or faceless to me personally but who died in the name of freedom.
All that aside, around these holidays (whether today's or the one in November) I do often think of this inscription that I found in my paternal Grandmother's scrap book after she died. If you can't zoom in and read it, it says ... "Note: We entered the other war in its 483 day. was over in 585 days.. Entered this war in Dec 7, 1941." Her husband served in "the other war", and her children in what she called "this war", so I figure that she had a firm grasp on "sacrifice" during times of war, admittedly in a much different time, but just as admittedly, of a more personal nature.
So, randomly (hey -- check the title, right?), I think of her today. Esther Neidermyer, inscriber of this comment, you are missed.
SETTING FOLKS STRAIGHT ON THE MILITARY REMEMBRANCE HOLIDAYS:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/26/why-memorial-day-is-confused-with-veterans-day/
SHE CALLED IT "THE OTHER WAR" ... PBS CALLED IT "THE GREAT WAR":
http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/
A SOBERING VIEW ON THIS DAY OF MEMORIAL:
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/war.casualties/index.html
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