Memorial Day - Choose Your Hero

Memorial Day – a day set aside to remember those who have died while in military service. Originally known as Decoration Day following the Civil War the holiday has morphed into many things to different people. Some see it as the day was originally intended and decorate the graves of fallen men and women, and some families visit cemeteries and national monuments. Just last year at this time I was huffing and puffing my way all across Arlington National Cemetery.

Others have latched onto the fact that Memorial Day is the first official holiday of summer signaling the start of time off from school, beach visits, and don’t forget the cooler of beer sitting next to the grill. Let’s party!

As my husband was placing our flags out this morning – one on the front porch and one on the back – I couldn’t help but think about the concept of hero. The first thing that met my eyes this morning as I turned on my lap top was this article at MSN regarding heroic things…..the article stated:

Two things pass for heroics these days: adopting lots of orphans and being a spokesman and/or fundraiser for a noble cause. That’s nice and all, but compared to what Hollywood stars used to do, their modern counterparts are a bunch of wimps.

The article goes on to provide interesting information regarding the military service of Elvis Presley, Gene Roddenberry, Clark Gable, Julia Child, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Sir Alex Guinness, Paul Newman, Charlton Heston, and Marlene Dietrich.

Interesting stuff considering the other news of the day seems to be about folks attending one rapper's funeral and yet another rapper’s final concert before reporting to jail. I can’t help but think of the tabloids and their headlines…the hundreds of websites dedicated to celebrity gossip…what do we really value in America today and have our core values changed so, so much?

Peggy Noonan has some great thoughts…she always does…in her latest column found here titled Those Who Make Us Say Oh!....all about our American heroes.

and finally....

In case you missed them here are two former posts of mine detail two of my own relatives and their military service…..Gliding Into D-Day and Timberwolf Up: My Salute to the Veterans of the 104th and a Very Special Uncle.