Memorial Day

My little reflection on Memorial Day. Growing up, Memorial Day meant the opening of Rice Pool; it marked the beginning of summer, the end of school. I gave very little consideration to what its actual purpose was or even why it was named "Memorial Day." Over time, Memorial Day has come to mean a bit more to me.

Clover Park High School is near where Cherise and I live; sometimes when I walk Aslan, we walk by the school. Aslan likes it there because the grass is thick and has lots of interesting scents and the occasional fallen tree branch for him to claim. This weekend, the high school transformed the lawn into a memorial.

I first thought the markers were merely representative of Soldiers over time, but after looking closer saw that each marker had a name and dates for Soldiers who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I went back this morning and found the marker for John Edds - my roommate at West Point for a year.

 It's a funny kind of reassuring to know that people like John are remembered by more than those who lost them directly.