I found a wonderful site that gives you the history of Memorial Day as well as how to observe the holiday, giving other links about Memorial Day, poetry, images, and prayers, and helpful links pertaining to grief and healing. Presidents' remarks along with speeches and essays are also given.
Other than enjoying a day off and enjoying sales at the mall, one can observe Memorial Day by visiting memorials and cemeteries, flying the national flag, by participating in a “moment of observance” at 3pm on Memorial Day itself, or by pledging, or renewing a pledge, to aid widows, widowers, & orphans of our fallen dead as well as aiding disabled veterans.
Expressing my own thanks to those who served has always seemed to be appreciated. There have been times where I have stopped behind a car getting gas and have noticed their license plate proclaiming their status as a purple heart recipient. I have turned off my engine and walked to the person, giving them plenty of "personal space" (don't want anyone to think I'm some crazed lunatic, don'cha know), and told them that I was grateful for their service. It almost always has brought tears to my eyes, but I feel it's important that they realize, whether they are the spouse or child of the actual recipient, that they are appreciated.
Be sure to voice your appreciation for the sacrifice that our veterans have given and that our current soldiers give.
Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, Donna's mother, Charlotte, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completed his homeschooling in the fall of 2008. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One in 2003, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC
copyright © 2009 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.
