Websites That Show True Meaning of Memorial Day

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.  -  Albert Pike  (American writer, lawyer, and military leader

Image by Beverly & Pack via Flicker

     For those of us who are not in the military, do not have relatives or friends serving in our current wars or have not experienced the loss of a family member or friend in war, Memorial Day can easily be just another holiday. We have our barbecues, visit with friends, and splash around in the newly opened swimming pools. We rarely stop to think about the true meaning of Memorial Day.  

     Memorial day is a time to remember the sacrifices made by those who have served and given their lives so that we can enjoy our freedom and way of life.  It is up to us to keep their memories alive, so that their lives were not lost in vain.  It is also a day to remember the families of fallen soldiers….they’ve made an incredible sacrifice themselves by sharing their beloved with the world.

The following are sites dedicated to explaining the history of Memorial Day and to honoring our fallen heroes: 

http://www.usmemorialday.org/

Website that promotes the true meaning of Memorial Day.  

http://www.remember.gov/

Site created by The White House Commission on Remembrance. According to their mission statement, the commission “encourages Americans to honor the sacrifices of our fallen and their families. The Commission asks each of us to Live Honoring America’s Fallen everyday by giving back to the Nation and to unite in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. each Memorial Day”. Their site includes statistics of the loss of life in U.S. wars and conflicts and a list of names of fallen soldiers.

http://www.history.com/topics/memorial-day-history

Site explains the history of Memorial Day.

http://www.legacy.com/soldier/home.aspx

This website’s goal is to feature tributes for every soldier killed in our current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  It features moving tributes, virtual slide shows that are created by friends or relatives of the fallen soldier.  

http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/vme/memorial/homepage.html

Directory of sites dedicated to Memorial Day and memories of soldiers from all major wars.  

http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/stories/submit/

This site not only gives information about the Washington D.C. Memorial Day Concert, it also features stories from different conflicts.  These are wonderful tributes written by family and friends of soldiers lost in war.

http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/schoolroom/memorial.php

This website includes a directory of sites set up to aide in educating children about the significance of Memorial Day.

     Let’s truly honor our fallen soldiers this Memorial Day.  Browse the above websites, say a prayer, observe a moment of silence, or set flowers on a fallen soldier’s grave.  It’s the least we can do for those who have given so much.