I often wonder…how we truly understand Memorial Day. It is a day off for many…a day to cook-out, have family over to spend time, go to the lake, or just work in the yard.
What is Memorial Day? For years I used to mix up this national holiday with Veterans Day…until I became a journalist.
When I was working in Special Projects for WCNC-TV back in 2006, we were putting together a special show for fallen heros during the Iraq Conflict. A story came across our radar, one that was done for the News Department on a nightly turn around. This story touched my boss Allison Andrews and she came to me to see if I could re-edit the story, add some touches to it for a special show she wanted to put together.
Some of you do not realize, but in larger television markets; some stations have Special Project/Investigative Units staffed specifically to take stories that had more layers to investigate and invest for in-depth review and production. These stories had a little something different that was worth the extra time and effort. The News Department was tasked to find stories to find and produce within the same day. Sometimes they needed more attention. This story caught our eyes, ears, and hearts. This takes a lot!
You see, I have visited more houses during my time as a journalist, interviewing families who have lost loved ones serving our country. I have conducted more interviews, edited more stories about loved ones lost during their service. More stories than I choose to remember. But I should remember, because it is their service that provides the mere freedom and luxuries that I take for granted during my daily life. I am the only male on my father’s side of the family that did not serve his country. I was a mathematics major at Clemson and should have been in the Navy flying jets. But, I had asthma and the armed services threw up a red flag. Because of this…I try to find some way to honor those who have served in my place.
This Memorial Day, I remember a story from 2006. Marine Staff Sergeant Jason Ramseyer from Lenoir, North Carolina lost his life in a road side bomb in Iraq. It was April 20, 2006 to be exact when his mother and wife received the news that he had past away. He had two girls. I remember you Staff Sergeant Jason Ramseyer, and I am forever grateful for your service to this great nation. You have laid down your life in front of this altar of freedom, more than I could ever do for this great nation.
Here is the story we produced in his honor.
Marine Killed
Here are some links to learn more about Staff Sergeant Jason Ramseyer:
Arlington National Cemetery
Fallen Heros Memorial
Military Times
Black Five
Palm Beach Post
As they stand…
As we sit in services across this great nation
and we ask them to stand
they stand for us
to remind us
how many who stand for us.
We sit and wonder who are these people that stand around us
Each has a story
Each has a plan
Each has a time they have served.
We have asked in so many services
across this land of vast liberty
in churches
in schools
in meetings
in our homes
to ask those who have served to stand
to be recognized.
We asked them to stand and serve
to serve what for what they believe
to serve for what others believe
for what we as a nation believe.
As they stand…
We remember those who are not with us
thankful for those who still stand with us
reminded of what they stand for
reminded for what they stood for
proud of their time served.
As I sit…
I wonder
what have I done today
to serve this great nation
that provides this fertile ground I call home.
As I sit…
I look at those who stand
honored to be among great leaders
those who stood strong
and carried the altar of freedom
in their hands
holding firmly to protect
lightly enough to not to shatter.
As I sit…
honored
thankful
humble
I remember to recognize
those who stand!
As they stand!
——————-
I wrote this in the middle of church service today, the day before Memorial Day 2010. I was struck when the preacher asked for those who have served this nation, stand to be recognized. Men and women of all ages stood, hundreds of them from all walks of life, those with different ethnicities, ideologies, ages, branches of service, and times served. I was struck by the visual of those standing, as I sit in the pew wondering the true definition of Memorial Day. So my pen took over and I filled up every white space possible on my bulletin. But as I wrote, I was inspired three times in the service: when they stood, a passage from the litany*, and the chorus of the hymn**.
* From the Litany of Psalm 90
“People: May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.”
** From “Great is Thy Faithfulness”
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me!
I memorialize those who faithfully served this great nation, to provided the very freedom I enjoy daily!
I leave you with this letter by President Abraham Lincoln to a Mrs. Bixby, one I think of all the time. So eloquent the words I feel explains the true blessing this nation has been afforded by those who we memorialize.
Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.