Don’t Wish Me a ‘Happy’ Memorial Day

Memorial Day is just a few days away, and I am steeling myself for the inevitable well-meaning people who will merrily wish everyone a ‘Happy’ Memorial Day. As someone whose family has lost members to war and who has had many relatives who have served in the military (but were not killed in the line of duty, thankfully), I cringe a little every time I hear that greeting.

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have fallen, those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country to protect each one of us. For me, it is a somber time, a time of reflection.

Perhaps I feel this way because I was born an raised next to Eglin Air Force Base in a town that took this holiday very seriously. Perhaps it is because most of the male members of my family and some female relatives served in the military at some time or other. Several relatives still serve. Perhaps it is because my Grandfather took us to the city’s Memorial Day ceremony every year, where the occasion was commemorated with a significant amount of gravitas. Or, perhaps it was because we often visited the grave of my uncle who was killed in Vietnam.

I might wish you a good Memorial Day, but I don’t wish anyone a happy Memorial Day. That’s not what the day is about.