Decoration Day? My mom said Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day because it was expected that one would go to the cemeteries and place flowers for loved ones. Most of the time veterans would also have flags at their gravestones as well. Yesterday we put flowers on graves. One cemetery had many flowers on other graves, while the other cemetery had a few. I have a couple of theories on that…one is that many of the people who are buried in the second one may not have any living relatives left or they don’t live in town. Plus, around here, I think very few people under the age of 50 actually decorate the graves. I was discussing it with my husband and some friends and we think that our generation of baby boomers may be the last generation to take flowers on Memorial Day. I hope we are wrong. I know the deceased aren’t waiting on us, but I think it’s a good way to remember our loved ones and our soldiers and stop and take a breath in our lives of always being so busy.

We went to the grocery store today and two veterans were selling poppies. I remember seeing a lot more of this going on in the past. Again, I wonder if the greatest generation’s demise is causing this loss.

As you celebrate this weekend which has become commercial as any other holiday – the ads are proclaiming Memorial Day sales, please take a moment to remember the soldiers who gave their time and their lives and the family and friends who went before you. That is better than any sale or any ad.