Happy Memorial Day! Although we have adopted this as the official beginning of summer cookouts, it has a much deeper and more significant meaning. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day. The purpose of Decoration Day was a day to remember our fallen soldiers by decorating their graves.
On this day I am reminded of a boy who was killed a few years ago, at the age of 22, two days shy of his 23rd birthday. Tyler Trahan was a Navy explosive ordinance disposalman, killed in action in Iraq. He was a classmate of my son. I cannot imagine losing your son. Not at any age, but certainly not at 22 years old. I remember thinking about his family and hoping that, even in their grief, they would know that he was a hero. As a boy from a small town, everyone knew him. The 'townies' were proud of all of their soldiers and Tyler was no exception.
His funeral procession drove from a funeral home in a neighboring city, through town for a service at a local church and then to a military cemetary. As is common in small towns, the streets are residential, with houses on both sides. As the procession passed, many of the townsfolk stood at the edge of the road, each with their own thoughts and prayers for the family. The elementary school chose to honor Tyler by having the children line up along the street, each child waving an American flag. Truly a heroes goodbye and a wonderful lesson for the children.
On this Memorial Day, remember the fallen and honor those serving.
No comments:
Post a Comment