I love living in a small town. Events have a very personal feeling and Memorial Day has always been an important observance in my hometown.
It is a solemn occasion honoring all veterans, marked with prayer, speakers, boy and girl scouts reciting famous speeches, bands playing patriotic songs and a parade procession to the cemetery’s war memorial for heartfelt speeches and a gun salute honoring fallen comrades.
As two trumpets poignantly play and echo Taps, children lay flowers on the graves of men and women who have served in the armed forces. It always saddens me to think of young soldiers sacrificed in their prime and the pain felt by those they left behind. Harder still are the ones who return broken in heart and body.
Rather than glorifying war, Memorial Day serves to remind us that peace is our utmost goal and that each of us must work to keep peace in our hearts and radiate it out to the rest of the world. We and our future generations depend on it. May you and your loved ones always walk in peace.
Eliza Waters 
A lovely tribute.
Thanks, Fi. Is there a similar observance in Sweden?
So sorry I missed it this year. Thanks for the pictures , they were great!
Next year, perhaps! 🙂
The spirit of peace is definitely in this post Eliza. It is small town America at its best and the message of gratitude for those who lost their lives to preserve the peace is in every photo.
Glad to hear that. I wanted that message to come through, thanks so much.
It’s evident that you have a great community! Thank you for sharing!
Home is where the heart is! Thank you for your visit. 🙂
Well said, Eliza. 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Thanks, Sharon, I did. After the parade, I planted onions! 🙂
🙂 🙂
Great pictures showing what the day is all about. I do love living in a small town too
Do you recognize the neighborhood? 😉
Several of us visited the memorial cemetery at Bayeux, with headstones touching one another, with inscriptions from mother’s to their sons. It was heartbreaking, and we all wept. And as you say, we must not forget those who return broken. May Peace Prevail.
Amen to that.