Happy Memorial Day! :o)

            Happy Memorial Day!  

            I hope everyone has had a wonderful Memorial Day, not only in
celebrating life with our families and friends, but in remembering those who
have sacrificed for our countries freedoms.  

            A little history on Memorial Day...

            Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of
remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many
stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying
claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that
organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of
the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are
Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of
the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source:
Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y.
was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon
Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the
day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns
and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in
the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each
contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan
giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very
first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is
not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to
honor those who gave their all.

            Read more here:  http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html