Memorial Day 2013

Today, my wife and I each ran a few small shopping errands to procure items which might conceivably prove convenient tomorrow, which happens to be Memorial Day 2013.

We each are old enough to remember an era when most retail business establishments were completely closed on Memorial Day.  But now, most retail shops are open on Memorial Day.

There is nothing wrong per se with going to the beach on Memorial Day (which will be off the table for many on account of the low temperatures which now perform the valuable service of making the "global warming" proponents seem like smacked toochases).  There is nothing per se wrong with having an outdoor barbecue on Memorial Day.  There is nothing per se wrong with sleeping in late on Memorial Day.  [Neither my wife nor I particularly plan to do any of those things tomorrow].

But it must be remembered that Memorial Day is not about us going to the beach; it is not about us having a barbecue; it is not about us sleeping in late.  Memorial Day is about the ones who did not come back, who cannot go to the beach, who cannot join us for a barbecue, and who now sleep in eternal repose.

And so, out of principle, we are trying to avoid doing any shopping on Memorial Day if we can help it.

To the soldiers and sailors and Marines and airmen who did not come back:  Rest in Peace!  There still are plenty of grateful Americans who have not forgotten you.