Memorial Day

What does that mean to you when you read or hear 'Memorial Day'?

I was reading someone else's journal and they had devoted today's entry to quotes from famous people, photographs, and all manner of tribute to the fallen. Then as I was reading the comments, and all glowing comments as they should have been, one person finished with, "Happy Memorial Day". That just struck me. Not in a 'that was kind of a dumb fuckin' thing to say' way, but more of a 'do you really know what your saying' way. Like, 'Happy Soldier's Died Day!

I guess the spin on this is to celebrate the freedom we have because of their sacrifices, and that is entirely true, but I don't know, it just struck me reading the phrase, 'Happy Memorial Day'. I immediately thought of not so much who is this day for but who does it mean the most to. I thought those who lost someone, a friend, a relative, but I couldn't help but remember this photograph of soldiers burying the dead. That is when I thought it was really about those soldiers. The ones who were there in the battles and were spared as they saw their buddies die. The ones who would grow old and saw the last moments of those who wouldn't. They remember. War is a surreal situation and really can't be explained outside of experience. I just wanted to say, I remember you.