Memorial Day. The day that feels funny to call a holiday. The one where we sway between feelings of celebration and mourning. The day we honor the memories of those who have died in the service of our country.

At times it feels forlorn, thinking of friends and family who are no longer with us, who were lost too soon. And at other times, we find ourselves celebrating their lives, their accomplishments and their love for life. We know they want us to keep living, just as they did. But it's hard.   

Memorial Day, which can trace its roots back to the Civil War and originally called Decoration Day. Officially, the name change occurred in 1967, about 85 years after the day was called Memorial Day unofficially in 1882.

There's a lot of tradition around Memorial Day, despite the original intentions of General John A. Logan, commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in 1868. His orders state that the day was to place flowers or decorate graves of those who died in service to the country.

"Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation’s gratitude, the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan," his General Order No. 11 stated.

The day is meant to be a solemn reminder of sacrifice, but it doesn't have to be just that.

Reflect on Memorial Day History

Take some time on Monday to reflect on the history of the country, and more specifically the lives of those lost. One of the ways you can reflect is by tuning in to the National Memorial Day Concert which will be shown live on PBS on Sunday, May 30th at 8 pm ET.

Share Memories

Share your memories about loved ones lost with friends and family. Share the good memories and the hard ones. Listen to others share their memories. Sharing the stories of friends lost is a very personal thing, you want to share with just a close friend who you can trust to listen respectfully. 

“I wanted to honor a good friend of mine, Chance Russell Phelps, who I served in the Marine Corps with who was KIA, April 9th, 2004,” shared one GGU student. “What I remember most about Chance was, he was spot on the way he could imitate people, actors, and he was just really fun to be around.” 

Phelps’ story was made into a movie, “Taking Chance,” which starred Kevin Bacon as Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, who volunteered to escort Phelps back to his hometown. 

“So, this Memorial day I want to take time, to say, we love you, Chance. We miss you. We know you're watching over us and we want to honor you this Memorial Day.” 

Honor the Fallen

Take some time out of the day, before the picnics or get-togethers, and honor those who sacrificed. Say their names. Arlington National Cemetery is open this year to a limited number of visitors, and your local ceremony is a great option to visit and leave flowers on graves. You can also honor the fallen by participating in events like The Unquiet Professional’s Virtual Memorial Mile or a wear blue: run to remember event. 

Live Life to its Fullest 

Sacrifices were made for Americans so they can continue with their lives. After you honor those who made the sacrifices, it's ok to live your life. It's encouraged even. Enjoy the time with your family, enjoy the sunny weather and good food. Just don't do this without remembering.

Join a strong community of military veterans and their family members by connecting with other students at GGU.