Memorial Day Definition

“A day on which those who died in active military service are remembered, traditionally observed on May 30 but now officially observed on the last Monday in May” is how Google defines Memorial Day from the book. However, everyone has their own experiences and ideas of what this American holiday means to them; not every word or phrase can be clearly defined like they do in dictionaries. For some students, Memorial Day means a day off from school; or a day to play video games, or binge watch an entire TV show. Or, if you’re in the school band, it means long parades out in the blistering sun while you feel sweat drip down to your uniform, soaking it and making you feel even more uncomfortable in the position of attention. Though for one of my
closest friends, it means a day to remember others who fought alongside her relatives in the Vietnam War, and knowing that some are not as lucky as her to still have those family members alive and healthy.
So what does Memorial Day mean to me? An over glorified paper answer I would write just to win first place would be some sort of drawn-out essay solely about people's love for their country; but this is not just about patriotism. Knowing that my boyfriend will enlist directly after graduating high school, it makes me wonder and fear if I will need remember him during this holiday in the future. And if I did, that day would be a constant reminder of the pain of losing a loved one; which is exactly how others feel right now and in the past. However, I know that through his and other soldiers’ loyalty to this wonderful country, it is important to always remember and honor the sacrifices they made to protect the people of America. And ultimately, celebrating this American holiday means remembering those who fought for the freedom of our country, for the wellbeing of our future generations, and for allowing our free country to have a voice in the present and in the future.