Patricia L. Cummings
What does Memorial Day mean to you? Is it a day off from work that will be spent catching up on laundry and chores around the house? Will the day involve going to the cemetery/cemeteries to place flowers in memory of a loved one? Will it be a day to march in a parade, a day to bake a cake, a day to celebrate the fact that snow season is most likely over until late next Fall?
For me, Memorial Day is a time when memories flood back as I think of my dear father, first and foremost. He certainly worked hard to provide for his wife and children. Yet, he was too good probably and died at about the same age I am now. It seems a pity that he never had the chance to "retire." Then, I think of my mother who outlived my Dad by more than 30 years, lost without him and in a sorry state when she finally died at 92 years old. I also think of my two brothers, taken in their early 50s by cardiac arrest. There is no way to know how long each of us will live. One factor that makes LIFE precious is that is does not come with a guarantee for longevity.
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| O flag born of the spirit /And the blood our fathers shed / We have no fear while thy bright stars / And bars wave overhead. |
Memorial Day is a patriotic holiday as well as a personal one. At many cemeteries, flags wave proudly on the graves of those who served this country in uniform. We should be thinking of our veterans every day and should insist that they receive the medical care many so desperately need. War changes people.
As Mark Twain once stated something to the effect that the thing about life is...it goes on.
We are lucky to still be here. Whatever you do tomorrow, take a few minutes to be grateful for your life. As long as you are still living, you can right some of the wrongs of the world and your own life. Think about building friendships by spending more time with those you call 'friend." Send a note of thanks, as appropriate. People love to receive personal mail. It takes so little to please someone, really...the price of a postage stamp. It does not get more simple than that.
As for me, I hope to be engaging in my usual daily creative activities but may plan something special like baking a blueberry cake. I hope you are happy and well.
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