Thoughts on Memorial Day

Rest Eternal grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Light Perpetual shine upon them.  AMEN.

A friend of mine, a retired Presbyterian Pastor and former Army Chaplain, sent me the following short meditation on Memorial Day, and I thought it worth passing on to you.  He said that he preached some version of this in every town in which he ever pastored, and in a few others besides.  It was his priviledge to share it with soldiers on occasion before their deployments.  And so I send this out with many thanks to the Reverend Chaplain (Major) Keith Kivlin, 73d Infantry Brigade (SEPARATE) and 16th Engineer Brigade. 

"This is Memorial Day, not Veteran's Day.  No Vets died in any of the wars fought by our country.  Memorial Day is a memorial for the dead: those Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guards who died in the wars of our nation.  Considering the generally solemn occasion, the picnics and ball games and swimming pools and car races appear to be inappropriate ways to keep the day.  Unless... you remember the military personnel who gave their lives were all young.  The average age of an American soldier in each and all of our wars was and is 19 years.  Watching re-enactors you get the impression that the men who died fighting for our country were all a bunch of middle aged guys with beer bellies.  But that would be wrong.  They were young.  They were incredibly young.  They were amazingly young.  How do we memorialize these very young people who died fighting for our freedoms?  certainly it is wise to spend a few minutes in a grave yard and plant flags and flowers.  But after that what?  I think we have it right after all.  Keep this day the way these honored dead would have kept this day in their strength and exhuberance.  Go play some ball, deep fry a turkey, grill some burgers, splash in a pool, play some music (preferably very LOUD music), drink some beer and whiskey, play some guitars and banjos, play some golf, do some touch dancing with several beautiful girls, wash your old car in the shade of the maple tree, kiss your girl friends, wives, co-workers, etc.  In doing the above, throw a ball, kiss a girl, grill a burger, drink a beer for those who gave up all their sunny picnic days for you.  If you do some of these things today, our war dead in the Realms of Light will laugh and send a blessing our way!  Pray for Peace!  In this celebration may the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!  Amen."

Peace and Love,

Keith