Every May, we observe an honorable holiday. Memorial Day is the last Monday of the month. It is increasingly becoming a forgotten holiday, the meaning of which most American’s don’t understand.
Too many Americans get lost in holiday hoopla, excitement and commotion rather than celebrate the true meaning of the holiday. Memorial Day only becomes a three-day weekend, a trip to the lake, a barbecue, hamburgers, hot dogs, beer bust and a much-needed day off to relax and enjoy family. In fact, surveys reveal about one-third of the population believe Memorial Day is a holiday honoring all military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Services (that’s actually Veterans Day, celebrated every year on November 11).
Memorial Day is an American holiday honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. For me, as a Vietnam combat veteran along with present and past military members and their family, this day holds great significance. This is the day we give a final salute and honor to our fallen heroes for their sacrifice to our country.
America was born from the spirit of God which our founders made clear in their writings and in our founding documents. Our Declaration of Independence clearly states our “unalienable rights” of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness come from God, not government. That Spirit of Liberty created the greatest nation in the history of humanity and is one of the factors that makes America beautiful.
God teaches us in 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” This spirit in us is the reason young men and women of our armed forces are willing to lay down their lives in protecting liberty for America and around the world.
Patrick Henry, one of our founders, delivered a timeless speech in 1775 that captured this enduring spirit. “Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
This spirit gives us power over fear to seek our destiny. This spirit gives us faith to stand tall. We have the right to choose our direction in life. However, the greatest gift this spirit gave us is love. The love of our families, the love of our fellow man, the love of our country and the love of our God. This spirit puts freedom in our heart and the desire to pass it to others.
As we approach the hollow ground of the spirit God gave America, let us not forget the ultimate sacrifice of our loved ones, men and women of the Armed Forces, as we honor their contribution with their own blood for liberty.
Remember the families where at the supper table or at family outings a loved one is missing. Remember the children who have lost their mom or dad. Remember the brothers and sisters who have lost their loved ones. Remember the freedom we have in America.
May we never lose the spirit of liberty given to us by God that men used to transform America into the greatest nation on earth, and may we never forget the blood shed for you and me on the cross as well as on the battlefields by our honorable young men and women of the Armed Forces.
Memorial Day is remembrance, reverence and honor for our heroes who died while defending our nation and our values.
May we never lose that spirit that God put in our hearts to set us free.
Jim Coonrod is a Marine Corps veteran and an avid gardener. He lives in Collinsville.