Meaning of Memorial Day

**yoteforever** · 05-24-2009, 01:01 PM

I just want to take a moment to thank the men and women that serve our country in the military and keep us free. Also, a very large amount of grattitude for those that have fought wars in the past. God bless you, and may God take home with Him those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

What a privledge and honor it is to live in the United States of America, and especially thankful to live in Iowa.

May God bless the USA

**ISU_Alum_2000** · 05-24-2009, 01:17 PM

Here here.

**cstrunk** · 05-24-2009, 01:20 PM

We are all very lucky and privileged to live in such a great country. I am taking a World Food Issues class right now and it's very shocking when you hear that people at the poverty line in the USA are still wealthier than 80% of all the people in the world. Wow.

I am very thankful for those who fight for my freedom.

**CycloneErik** · 05-24-2009, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by yoteforever

I just want to take a moment to thank the men and women that serve our country in the military and keep us free. Also, a very large amount of grattitude for those that have fought wars in the past. God bless you, and may God take home with Him those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

What a privledge and honor it is to live in the United States of America, and especially thankful to live in Iowa.

May God bless the USA

Amen!

The more you get to travel, the better you see we have it here. Thanks to the folks that make that possible.

**cyeah** · 05-24-2009, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by yoteforever

I just want to take a moment to thank the men and women that serve our country in the military and keep us free. Also, a very large amount of grattitude for those that have fought wars in the past. God bless you, and may God take home with Him those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

What a privledge and honor it is to live in the United States of America, and especially thankful to live in Iowa.

May God bless the USA

Your sentiments are great, so please do not take this the wrong way.

Memorial Day is about honoring our fallen warriors especially by reaching out to help their widows and orphans.

It is not Verteran's Day, 4th of July, etc where the sentiments you expressed are more applicable.

As a veteran I appreciate your thoughts and the great expression you gave to them.

I only ask that this weekend be about the fallen and those left behind by them. There are many, many empty places at dinner tables and picnic tables because a loved one has fallen.

**yoteforever** · 05-24-2009, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by cyeah

Your sentiments are great, so please do not take this the wrong way.

Memorial Day is about honoring our fallen warriors especially by reaching out to help their widows and orphans.

It is not Verteran's Day, 4th of July, etc where the sentiments you expressed are more applicable.

As a veteran I appreciate your thoughts and the great expression you gave to them.

I only ask that this weekend be about the fallen and those left behind by them. There are many, many empty places at dinner tables and picnic tables because a loved one has fallen.

No offense taken. I merely meant to thank all those who are serving or have served, but you are correct. Thank you for what you did for us as well.

**Tornado man** · 05-24-2009, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by cyeah

Your sentiments are great, so please do not take this the wrong way.

Memorial Day is about honoring our fallen warriors especially by reaching out to help their widows and orphans.

Well said.
I remember a Memorial Day program a few years ago in Ames, when we gave the main speaker, a decorated veteran of WW2, a standing ovation.
When the applause subsided, he said, "Thank you, but your energy and time is much better spent visiting the grave sites around America and the world where the 'real' heroes are. I was lucky to have survived and come back alive. You need to remember, and honor, those who didn't. That's really what this day is for."

**whirlybirds** · 05-24-2009, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by yoteforever

I just want to take a moment to thank the men and women that serve our country in the military and keep us free. Also, a very large amount of grattitude for those that have fought wars in the past. God bless you, and may God take home with Him those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

What a privledge and honor it is to live in the United States of America, and especially thankful to live in Iowa.

May God bless the USA
And GO CYCLONES!!!!!

i fixed it for you

**Flag Guy** · 05-25-2009, 08:47 AM

Thank you to all the veterans anyways, to the soliders on the battlefield living with the memories of their fallen comrades

And a very special thanks to those who have fallen in the line of duty to defend the way of life I enjoy so much

**ZJohnson** · 05-25-2009, 09:13 AM

Means me working my *** off for 15 hrs...but obviously not as much the people who served this great country.

**Dave19642006** · 05-25-2009, 03:32 PM

They gave you a birthright of freedom born in the Constitution and now your children graduate too illiterate to read it. I fought in the snow barefoot to give you the freedom to vote and you stay at home because it rains. I left my family destitute to give you the freedom of speech, and you remain silent on critical issues, because it might be bad for business. I orphaned my children to give you a government to serve you and it has stolen democracy from the people. It's the soldier, not the poet, who gives you the freedom of speech.
It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, who allows you to demonstrate.
It's the soldier, who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protester to burn the flag!

**ISUKyro** · 05-25-2009, 03:34 PM

I think one of my neighbors said it best (she's a very old but very nice lady) when she said you can sum up the entire day with two simple words:

THANK YOU

**cyeah** · 05-26-2009, 08:36 AM

Here is a more artful definition:

Memorial Day is about those who gave up their tomorrows for our today. They’re the men and women who forever gave up the chance to see and hold the child born while they were at war. The chance to again caress their husband or wife and tell them they love them. The chance to hold their mother's hand and bask in her sweet smile one last time. Or to stare in pure awe at their first grandchild.

They gave it all in the service of their country, and it is our job as citizens of this great land to remember them and their sacrifice. So the next time you are near a national cemetery, take some time and stop in with your family and spend a moment with the heroes who are buried there.

And more formally from General Orders #11:

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

Memorial Day 2008 (SWJ Blog)