Our Voice: Memorial Day means many things to our nation

For some, it is the unofficial start of flip-flop season and summer, time for the first camping trip of the year or a good excuse for a backyard barbecue with friends. For many of us, it’s a much-appreciated three-day weekend.

And while all of those are pleasant pastimes, we must never forget the reason for Memorial Day. It is to honor those who have died in service to our country.

Memorial Day was first observed as Decoration Day in 1868 to remember the nearly 500,000 soldiers who died in the Civil War. Citizens were encouraged by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, to strew graves with flowers “or otherwise decorat(e) 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,” according to usmemorialday.org.

More Americans were killed in the Civil War than any other conflict fought by the U.S., because combatants on both sides were American. After World War I, the holiday was changed to honor Americans who lost their lives in any war. Unfortunately, people are still dying on behalf of our country today.

Memorial Day was meant to be a somber occasion, but it is has turned in many cases to be known more as three days away from the office. People should value their personal time and spend it with those they care about doing things they enjoy. We all have enough to worry about with the uncertain times on the global front.

Those who died for us fought for our freedom and would want that to be celebrated. Never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The celebration atmosphere of the three-day weekend brought so much pause that a movement to make the “memorial” aspect of the holiday top-of-mind once again culminated in the National Moment of Remembrance Act, passed in 2000.

The story for the impetus for the act goes something like this — school children touring Washington, D.C. were asked the meaning of Memorial Day and the purported response was “That’s when the pool opens.” And that is indeed the case at country and court clubs and apartment complexes across the land. But the day is so much more. It’s sad that now we have to be reminded of that.

We’re all supposed to pause for one minute at 3 p.m. local time on Monday to remember the fallen. Trains are to blow their whistles, Major League Baseball will take a moment’s pause, drivers are to turn on their headlights, flags are to be waved.

In a modern-day twist, Americans are being asked to set their cell phone alarms for 3 p.m. Monday as a reminder for the National Moment of Remembrance. So they can remember to remember.

Whatever works. Please take a timeout from your fun day on Monday and remember those who made it possible. Thank you to those who paid the price and the families who miss them every day.

This story was originally published May 27, 2017 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Our Voice: Memorial Day means many things to our nation."