Don't Celebrate Memorial Day

I never celebrated Memorial Day growing up. That's not to say that I grew up in an unpatriotic home. To the contrary, my homeschooling mother had me and my sister pledge our allegiance to the flag every morning before the class day began. My family wasn't averse to traditional holiday celebrations either: we had a picnic every 4th of July and went camping every Labor Day. Honestly, I don't think anyone in my family could say why we never celebrated it. And I think that's the point. Most people just don't know what to do with it. None of us do. Many of us don't even know what Memorial Day is about. It's not a celebration of our freedom in America. That's the 4th of July. And it's not a time to thank our servicemen and women. That's Veterans' Day. Memorial Day is a time set aside to remember fallen soldiers. Which means it is not a time to celebrate; it is a time to mourn. Some will say, "Of course, it's a time to celebrate