As many of you know. I have
been a hospice volunteer for 28 years. I have sat at the bedside of
348 people as they took their last breath.
On this Memorial Day, my
brother, sister and I are taking turns sitting at the bedside of our
father who is struggling to remain alive this day. My Dad is a 84
year-old WWII veteran, and the finest man I have ever known.
To my father and all
American veterans, I
send my love and sincere appreciation for all they have done to keep this
country free. I would like to extend my appreciation to
another group of American heroes who have displayed the same kind of
unwavering courage and compassion. These valiant patriots are known
as care-givers. Each day they give of their lives to protect and
help others as they search for peace and meaning in the final days of
life.
Without
the tireless efforts of these volunteers, many of our veterans would be left
alone as they face their last days. Believe me when I say, volunteerism is
the ultimate spiritual activism I urge everyone reading this to find a
cause that speaks to your heart, and devote at least four hours a week
volunteering your time to it.
Of course, my heart is in
end-of-life care, and the personal rewards that I have received from giving of
myself in this way are priceless. On this Memorial Day, I pray that
you find your calling in volunteer work, for this is your way to make a real
difference in the world!
With
Purpose,
Dannion
Brinkley
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Memorial
Day weekend is not just a holiday weekend, but a celebration of those who gave
their lives to keep us free. Go to your local VA and visit a Vet Memorial
Day weekend!
Memorial Day was originally
known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the
nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely
observed on May 30,1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War
soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of
the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5,
1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:
The 30th of May, 1868,
is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise
decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country
during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every
city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no
form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own
way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as
circumstances may permit.
During the first
celebration of Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at
Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to
decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers
buried in the cemetery.
This 1868 celebration was
inspired by local observances of the day in several towns throughout
America that had taken place in the three years since the Civil War. In
fact, several Northern and Southern cities claim to be the birthplace of
Memorial Day, including Columbus, Mississippi; Macon, Georgia; Richmond,
Virginia; Boalsburg, Pennsylvania; and Carbondale, Illinois.
In 1966, the federal
government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared
Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose
Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—because the
town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which
businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with
flowers and flags.
By the late 1800s, many
communities across the country had begun to celebrate Memorial Day and,
after World War I, observances also began to honor those who had died in
all of America's wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national
holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. (Veterans Day, a day set
aside to honor all veterans, living and dead, is celebrated each year on
November 11.)
Today, Memorial Day is
celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small
American flag is placed on each grave
