A friend asked me to write this post. For a week, I have struggled with logging in and writing. It came to be just a simple problem, I had the wrong password. After all was said and done, I am late with this posting that was really meant for Memorial Day. “Drop and do some flutter kicks!” is what I can hear in my head.
Memorial Day is a day that Americans remember the accomplishments of the Armed Forces and celebrate the soldiers of today. I always do something on Memorial Day that differs from the majority of the population. Grabbing my set of Dog-Tags, I go for a run, usually four miles, because this reminds me of my Active Duty days. After my run, I take a shower and head out for some food, or chow, and try to eat with my friends. In the Army, I always ate with my friends. After getting some food, I spend my time with the closer parts of my life, my family. I watch my war movies that I have collected over the years and even some home made videos. I usually have to explain some of the odd behavior that would occur on the home made videos to my family. The rest of the day is filled with eating and maybe even getting on Skype to talk with a buddy of mine that is deployed to the nether regions of the world.
You see Memorial Day to me is so much more personal than the whole picture of all of the Armed Forces. I am reminded of my brothers in arms that were closest to me with these motions. The ones who picked me up, sometimes literally, when I didn’t think I could get up. This is my “Memorial” to them. If you have a certain tradition for your Memorial Day, I encourage you to express it and never think it is stupid. Believe it or not, people think it is ridiculous to go running to remember your brothers. I say “Hooah” and keep going.