This day marks the beginning of summer, and what could be more fitting to men and women who died in service to their country than the day that gives birth to a season filled with the warmth of life.

Memorial Day is a unique national holiday if not the day we set aside most for recognition.

This is a day of personal sorrow for those who have lost loved ones in uniform. It is also a day for the nation to mourn, to show our collective national pride, and to illustrate our appreciation for this almost unbearable sacrifice. We honor these brave warriors by not taking for granted what they did for us. This month we remember that Memorial Day is a day of mixed emotions. It is a day for reflection in honor of all soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who made the ultimate sacrifice throughout history. The number is truly staggering, more than one million men and women, including those full-time professional and Reserve Component warriors, have fallen in battle.

I don’t think it is possible to truly grasp what that loss really means, but it should be obvious to every American that this sacrifice deserves much more appreciation than we could possibly demonstrate one day a year.

This is a day of personal sorrow for those who have lost loved ones in uniform. However, it is also a day for the nation to mourn, to show our collective national pride, and to illustrate our appreciation for this almost unbearable sacrifice. We honor these brave warriors by not forgetting them. We honor them by not taking for granted what they did for us.

Tradition is a special part of this holiday which dates back to the Civil War. As the battle raged, Confederate widows and grieving familiar members began placing wild flowers on the graves of their loved ones. They also did this for the Federal soldiers buried in their states as well, and a similar custom arose in the north around the same time.

In May 1866, just one year after the conclusion of the war, a shop owner in Waterloo, New York closed his store for the day in honor of the dead — Federal and Confederate alike. Other businesses followed his lead.

Two years later on May 5, the then commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic asked fellow Civil War veterans to place flowers on the graves of fallen comrades on May 30, as a gesture in keeping alive memories of fallen soldiers and sailors.

These acts of gratitude and appreciation became known as Decoration Day. By 1882, Decoration Day became known as Memorial Day and the holiday broadened to honor service members from all American wars. In addition to decorating graves with flowers and wreaths, citizens also hold parades, listen to speeches and the playing of Taps.

Memorial Day by tradition is observed on the last Monday in May.

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Margaret Brackett

Contributing Columnist

Margaret Brackett is from Newberry. Her columns appear weekly in The Newberry Observer.