Today is a federal (national) holiday. Memorial day is celebrated the last Monday of May each year and commemorates (remembers and shows respect for) Americans who have died while serving in the military (being soldiers).
This holiday began after the American Civil War (1861-1865) to recognize and remember the more than 620,000 soldiers who died during the four-year war, which was considered the deadliest (causing death) in American history up to that time. After World War I, the holiday was expanded (made bigger) to commemorate all soldiers who died in military service.
To all those who have served and are serving in military service everywhere, we remember and honor you today.
~ Lucy
http://www.aomda.org/index.htm is a very good documented website about American military cemeteries in Belgium.
“The American Overseas Memorial Day Association (AOMDA) ensures that we will never forget the sacrifice of the 14,000 Americans who lie buried in the three American military cemeteries in Belgium.”
“AOMDA’s Memorial Day ceremonies are unique events as Americans and Belgians gather to honor the brave servicemen and women who lie buried far away from home”
Today in UK is also day off work. It is called Bank Holiday but I don’t know the reason for it. Anyway, yesterday I was in London and one of attraction was London Dungeon. It looks that people like bloody story. It strange because even small children are allowed to visit this place. Sometimes I’m wondering what is the difference between Jack The Ripper, one of the most brutal killer of the 19-th century and soldiers who killed each other. Isn’t it just excuse for killing? Death is death no matter what. People are killed usually by other people.
Someone may say “but if I don’t kill him, he’ll kill me” like in that western I watch today “The Gunfighter”. And to punish bad guy main character said that he draw first. And by making him good, he doomed him for life.
You always empower the demons you fight (or something like this). Anthony De Mello
That is why sometimes is very difficult if we try too heard.
OK. Enough wisdom for today 😉
Some of links:
Jack The Ripper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper
The Gunfighter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gunfighter_(film)
Anthony De Mello http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_de_Mello_(priest)
For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
We all hope that a time for peace came back soon.
Bank Holidays in England.
“…. The name comes from an Act of Parliament in 1871, which required the Bank of England to close on certain days during the year.
The idea was that, if the Bank of England was closed, many other businesses would close as well, and that their employees could have a day off work.
And that is in fact what has happened – the “bank holidays” have become general public holidays…..”
Unfortunately is a holiday to comemorate the bad results of wars.
I whould like a word without soldiers, police, priests, guns, authorities, restrictions, robery, wars and so on.
Then I whould like a world without humans, as we do all kind of things, good and bad.
That is the matter.
So yes, there is a time for nearly everything.
We are the best and the worst of this world.
And of course, there is a time to dream that nothing about war, guns, soldiers, religion, politicians, injustice
wouldn’t exist.
I we weren’t just humans.