Today is Memorial Day

It's a day when (we are told) we are to remember the sacrifice others have made in order for us to continue to enjoy the freedoms we have today. Anyone who does a quick internet search can find the history of the observation, but I'll summarize: It began after the Civil War (1866-1868 are two different dates I've seen, depending on who you talk to), and was set up to honor those who fought and died in the Civil War. Southern states honored their dead on different days (due to lingering animosity), until after World War I, when the observance was expanded to include those who died in all conflicts.

In recent years, I've done some research on my family history. I was told I had an ancestor who fought in the Civil War, but hadn't found any documents. My father brought me copies of documentation from his service. He was paid to to serve for another person (a fairly common occurrence in that time), and was part of Sherman's army in Georgia. He really didn't see much action though, he ended up spending most his enlistment in the hospital due to illness (dyspepsia). It ends up not being as exciting as, say, 'The Red Badge of Courage' but still it provides insight into the history of our country.

I said at the beginning we are told to remember the sacrifice others made on this day. Looking around, though, it seems cookouts, sales, and a day off is more important than what the day is about.

One thing I would put out there is: if people weren't willing to sacrifice everything to ensure their descendants were able to enjoy the principles of freedom, what kind of country would we be living in today?