The Importance Of Being Grateful On Memorial Day Weekend
As George Orwell said, ‘people sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf’ and this is the main ethos behind memorial day as we know it today. The real purpose of Memorial Day is to remember the sacrifices of the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. This is not something to be overlooked and is a crucial part of our history and identity.
We have been honoring our fallen soldiers since the 1800s but this important holiday only became so in 1971, as previously, it was used as a day to remember those killed in the civil war. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday and in 1868, the holiday became a day to remember all soldiers from the revolutionary war onwards. This includes the fifteen men from Anne Arundel County who died in the service in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that followed the 9/11 terrorist attack and the 14 Naval Academy graduates killed on 9/11 itself or even the two Marines who died in Nepal in a helicopter crash while trying to get relief supplies to villages cut off from the world by a devastating earthquake. All of these and many, many others are to be remembered and respected on this important day.
1. To show our appreciation
The first and most important reason that we need to be grateful on Memorial day is to show appreciation for those who gave up everything for us and the future of our families. We can show our respect
2. To ensure that the sacrifice means something
To remember and celebrate is to show that the sacrifice was worth making and that as a result of this huge sacrifice, we are able to enjoy life and live to the fullest.
3. To prepare ourselves for future sacrifice
To be grateful and to remember is to also look back at what occurred. This means that we are prepared to sacrifice in the same way should the need arise.
Conclusion
The parades,the parties and the celebrations are all to remember the people who so bravely risked everything so that we could live as we do. So that we can sleep peacefully, as George so rightfully said and that is what makes this such an important weekend for everyone to come together and remember, appreciate and learn.
Feels like you can add to the list? Go ahead and let us know in comments!
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