Memorial Day Memories

Memorial Day, the real Memorial Day, is today, May 30 – my birthday.

Originally known as Decoration Day, the designation of May 30 was made by the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) in 1868. The GAR order placed the ceremonial observation on May 30 to ensure availability of “the choicest flowers of springtime” all over the country, according to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs.

Effective in 1971, Memorial Day was designated a national holiday and the day of remembrance was moved from May 30 to the last Monday in May.

My birthday, however, has remained the same.

The earliest birthday memory I have is from 1970 when I turned 10 years old. My parents let me invite three friends for a sleepover. May Gray was as prominent then as it is now and I remember having to bundle up when we went outside.

My dad was a character and on the night of the sleepover, he had us sit in a circle as he told a scary story about the making of a man. As he told us about the eyes, he passed around peeled grapes; for the innards, cold cooked spaghetti in a bowl that we put our hands into. Unfortunately, one of the little girls I had invited over – Gina – was scared out of her mind and threw the grapes in the air, screaming. I remember my parents having to calm her down.

She did not return to the circle.

Surprisingly, I don’t remember a lot of birthdays though, of course, there are a few that stand out. In addition to my 10^th, I remember spending my 50^th birthday at Prom Plus. I was working the event and one of the ladies I was working with – Lisa – had the Prom Plus Club members present me with a giant decorated glass. I really appreciated it since I had originally planned to spend my 50^th in Tahiti. However, I started the paper the year before and there was absolutely no money to send me to Tahiti. (I have yet to go.)

That’s not to say that this past Monday’s Memorial Day observances weren’t memorable. I had the chance to attend the observance at Two Strike Park. Organized by American Legion Post 288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1614, the morning included the moving POW/MIA table ceremony. I first became acquainted with the ceremony when Lt. Col. Dave Worley introduced it. Everything on the table represents an aspect of the POW/MIA. Whether it’s salt on a plate on the table that represents the tears shed or the lemon slice that signifies the bitter fate of those missing or killed in action, the ceremony is poignant and a reminder of just how lucky we are to live in this country.