There are many opportunities to remember our honored loved ones on Memorial Day.
We take the day to celebrate our heroes, men and women who gave their lives so that we can be free. We celebrate with parades, fireworks, stories and song. PBS produces a concert at the National Mall in Washington, DC, where members of our armed forces are honored and revered.
Pamela and I had the honor of being in our country’s capital in 2007 as this tribute was being prepared, and as thousands of ex-military personnel arrived on their Harleys and other motorcycles for their annual pilgrimage to DC. I have never felt more proud, or more safe, than I did when surrounded by these heroes from the Korean War, the Vietnam War and Desert Storm.
There is little doubt that Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated 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,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.
Memorial Day is a day of national pride, full of Red, White and Blue. We share in gratitude of all the men and women who served, and those serving now, as well as their families as we say
for you service to our country.
We hope you will share with us in a National Moment of Remembrance moment of silence at 3:00 p.m. local time for all Americans to voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps.”
Please feel free to post your Memorial Day Thank Yous and Memories here.
Thank you for the reminder of National Moment of Remembrance silence at 3pm, I just set my cell phone reminder.
Thanks, Kris. I appreciate your setting your cell phone as a reminder.
Those flowers are gorgeous. What a beautiful tribute.
Thanks so much. We know the beauty of red white and blue.
Beautiful sentiments.
Thanks, Linda. Please remember our heroes this weekend.
It’s Memorial day next week. Time to really say thank you to those who served.
Love the flowers btw 🙂
Thanks so much. I know how important it is to remember our heroes this weekend.
I am sorry that Memorial Day Weekend as turned into such a bar b que. I will enjoy the day off but we should more to recognize the day.
Yes this has become a BBQ holiday, which brings families together, but the purpose behind the holiday is to remember our heroes.
What a beautiful arrangement! I will join you for a moment if silence <3
Thank you so much. A moment of silence is a very important way to say Thank You.
Those flowers are gorgeous! love the arrangement.
Thanks Michelle. We take extra pride in designing floral arrangements for our heroes.
I like the flowers looks really beautiful and well arrange.
Thanks, John. It is always an honor to design and deliver floral tributes to our American heroes.
What a beautiful tribute for the brave heroes. Happy Memorial Day!
Happy Memorial Day to you as well.