The history of Memorial Day has its origin in Arlington National Cemetery. The history of Memorial Day means a lot to families of military personnel. My journey in Arlington Cemetery on a beautiful spring day was moving and inspiring. It was a day full of memories. An excerpt from the Arlington website: “Initially, being buried at a national cemetery was not considered an honor, but it ensured that service members whose families could not afford to bring them home for a funeral were given a proper burial. The first official “Decoration Day,” later renamed Memorial Day, was held at Arlington National …
My father always felt that Veteran’s Day was a time to honor all veterans, not just “us old guys” as he would say. He was a U.S. Marine for 34 years and served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Every time someone thanked him for his service, he said,”Thank you, but be sure to thank the young men and women who are serving today.” Maybe he remembered being a 17-year old high school graduate entering the Marines during WWII. But I think it was who he was, turning attention to those he thought more deserving of thanks. He spoke at numerous …
By Melanie Pollard (Strike-through = inner voice) I’ve embarked on this new travel writing endeavor, and I have jumped in with both feet! Whether or not this idea will fly is yet to be determined, but we are going to have the time of our lives trying. Will people want to learn from our experiences? It’s just what I tell my grandchildren, “No one was ever successful at something they didn’t try.” Starting the new blog website, Gransonthego.com, with my friend, Marla Monk, a gifted photographer and part-time writer, has been extremely exciting and completely overwhelming. Along with learning about travel writing, at the current moment, I’m …