Traffic congestion has started early for a Friday; people are leaving town and heading to the beaches or lakes or to meet with family and friends to celebrate the start of summer; while others are dusting off the BBQ and heading to the stores for BBQ provisions celebrate the start of summer. In cemeteries across the country small US flags are appearing by tombstones and grave markers. Some people are making journeys to visit a loved one's grave at one of these cemeteries. Harley's are out in force as they converge on our nations capital. All indicators show that it must Memorial Day Weekend!
I love memorial holidays, not just the last weekend in May, but as a Kiwi our memorial day is ANZAC day on 25th April every year we remember our fallen. Many of you are probably wondering what ANZAC is. ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corp. April 25, 1915 is the day that ANZAC's landed at Gallipoli at what is now known as ANZAC cove. This was the start of the invasion into Turkey by the allies in an attempt to capture Constantinople. On these days, Memorial Day and ANZAC Day, I am humbled as I remember the thousands and thousands of people who sacrificed their lives to give us the freedoms we have today.
As some of you know I love to watch movies and will watch just about anything...on ANZAC day and Memorial Weekend I love to dust off the war movies and watch them. I watch some great movies like Midway, Battle of the Bulge, Tora! Tora! Tora!, The Bridge over the River Kwai, The Longest Day, The Dirty Dozen, Guns of Navarone, Stalag 17, The Great Escape, Escape from Sobibor, Gallipoli, Memphis Belle, Where Eagles Dare, and the list goes on and on.
I know that Hollywood glamorizes things in the movies, but if you look beyond the glamorization you can get a glimpse into what things were like for the those who fought during the wars. I love visiting museums and memorials that honor those who fought for us. One of the most moving monuments I have ever visited was the Vietnam Memorial Wall in DC. I don't know anyone on The Wall but seeing all those names listed was so powerful that I was overwhelmed with emotions. Freedom comes at a very high price.
Another humbling experience is to visit veteran cemeteries. In New Zealand our veteran cemeteries are marked with red poppies on ANZAC day and you will see many people wearing the red poppies as a sign of remembrance. Here is the US we see American flags flying in front of every tombstone or grave marker. To see all the poppies or flags is a amazing. It fills you with pride, it humbles you, it can overwhelm you. Have you ever visited Arlington National Cemetery over Memorial Weekend? It is surreal. There are thousands and thousands of white tombstones in rows upon rows and each with an American flag flying in front of it. It is an unbelievable sight.
There are not enough words to express our gratitude to those who have served their country. Some paid the ultimate price, others have lived through some of the horrors of war. To the families of our servicemen and women past and present, thank you for all the love and support you gave and to the sacrifices you have made too.
Here is one of my favorite songs that honors those who have paid the sacrifice. It is called "Because of the Brave" and was written by Garth Justice and performed by Day One.
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