Yesterday was Memorial Day in the United States. It’s the day when we remember, honor and thank the service men and women who have given their lives to preserve our way of life. Like many, I went to a Memorial Day Parade and watched as a sample of Americana walked by in front of me and the rest of the onlookers. There were bands from fire companies, high schools, towns and special musical organizations. There was town equipment which symbolized the public service provided year round. There were elected officials, boy scouts, girl scouts and brownies.
Watching the parade got me thinking about what my Memorial Day Parade would look like. In other words, what is it about the American way of life that I would show in a parade that makes it worth fighting and even dying for?
What would your Memorial Day parade look like? Would your family be in it? How about your friends? Perhaps your teammates would accompany you down the street. Those of you who celebrate your life with dance or song could entertain the crowd as you move through the course.
The question I would ask you is, “What are you free to do that allows you to be you because you live in Churchville-Chili, Monroe County, N.Y., in the United States of America?” Figure that out and you’ll know what your personal Memorial Day Parade would look like.