WHAT MEMORIAL DAY MEANS
With the Memorial Day weekend coming up, I thought today I'd share this essay, written last year, about the significance of the holiday.  And get this--the below was written by an 11 year old girl.  But she gets at the importance of things pretty well, doesn't she?  Read on:
"When I think of Memorial Day, I think of laughter and parties, but also of those who risked their lives for our freedom. Memorial Day isn't just for fun and games, but to honor those brave veterans who gave up their lives for their country. Many people go to parades for food and a good time, but the real reason is to remember those who protected us.

To me, after a war is like having a broken wheel. It is broken because parts of the wheel have come off and gotten rusty. Though on Memorial Day, you don't think of the broken wheel, but you think of it and remember it when it was new and shiny. Before a war, the wheel is complete. During the war, we fight, and lose some parts of our wheel. After the war, our wheel is broken and dirty. On Memorial Day, I always think of the wheel when it was not broken. The parts that have been broken are all those brave soldiers who gave up their lives in various wars. The rusty parts are those who have fought in the war and survived. When we honor all these parts of the wheel, we remember what they did for us and that is what Memorial Day is to me.

All the parts of the wheel make a big difference. The spokes of the wheel are us. The outer part is the people keeping us safe from harm. We are also an important part of the wheel. Ester DeBert Reed collected money for soldiers. Mary Ludwig Hays, also known as Molly Pitcher, was a young woman during the Revolutionary War. She brought soldiers water at the Battle of Monmouth, and manned her husband's cannon when he was shot. We can also make a difference, as the spokes of the wheel. During many wars, various spokes are taken out. On Memorial Day, we also honor the spokes of the wheel, for they are as important as the outer rim.

During Memorial Day, we eat lots of food and hold parties to celebrate the lives of those who have fallen in battle. Most of them lost their lives trying to protect us. It shows how much they cared about their country, and that is why they thought it was worth dying for their country. It isn't an easy choice to make, considering all of the things that can happen to you. We are so lucky, to have soldiers that protect us from all the horrid things that can happen. That is why I always respect them, because if they didn't fight, I might not be here.

To me, Memorial Day is when we still have a broken, tattered wheel, but we are proud of it. We remember those who died, and honor them. That is what Memorial Day really means to me."


“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure. ”--Joseph Campbell (1904-1987)