By Cynthia Borkgren Abraham
Good morning, Geneseo! I am honored and humbled to be invited to speak to you during this Memorial Day remembrance. I stood on this same stage over 50 years ago, reciting the Gettysburg Address, a smaller version of me with no wrinkles, but no less moved by the gravity of the day. It is fitting and right that we honor all the men and women who have sacrificed so much, recognizing that our liberties as Americans come at a price.
I believe the leaders who instated this holiday back in 1868 as Decoration Day, what we now call Memorial Day, were true visionaries, who knew what they were doing when they designated May as our time to honor the fallen. With spring reflecting a time of rebirth after a long winter, those leaders must have imagined the budding trees and flowers, millions spread across the land, representing those lost in battles here and on almost every continent around the globe. They must have envisioned loved ones sitting with their children, using the opportunity to tell the stories of the past and encouraging them to pass these stories on to the generations to come.
Today we gather at cemeteries, monuments, and parks all over the country. We march in parades in cities from Hawaii to the Carolinas, North Dakota to Texas. We celebrate their memory and honor the loyalty and bravery of our fallen in this noble calling of military service. While this day is typically spent recalling the valor of those who died in combat, we must never forget the ones who answered the call to serve in peacetime as well. The history of our Nation and those who serve is summarized in a simple phrase...they are ordinary people who by virtue of their service and sacrifice are extraordinary.
Sadly, some forget the losses suffered by those in uniform. People brush over these sacrifices of life and limb, dismissing the reality. Winston Churchill referenced this issue when he said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." The majority of the population does not understand that less than ½ of one percent of all Americans go to defend us so the enemy does not invade our land. And guess what? Sometimes they die.
On Memorial Day, tradition dictates that our flag is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the position of half-staff, where it remains until noon. The flag is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day. The half-staff position remembers the more than one million Service members who gave their lives in service to our Nation. At noon, their memory is raised by the living who resolve not to let their sacrifices be in vain, but to rise in their stead and continue the fight for liberty.
Across this great nation, wives and mothers, husbands and fathers, extended family and friends honor the memories of their loved ones each day. They display pictures and mementos of a life not fully lived. They carry on, understanding that their Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine chose this life of service and understood the potentiality of their death as a sacrifice for the sake of freedom. These families and friends, left behind, carry on their message, raising their memory like an unfurled flag. Today we also honor these families of those lost. You are the ones who bear a burden that only you can comprehend. We are grateful for the support you gave your Service member so they could carry out the mission of protecting the rest of us.
We bear the responsibility as citizens to remember the Nation's brave fallen men and women, whether they died on foreign lands in the heat of battle or after a lifetime in the uniform of our military. Never forget our Service members who knew all too well the cost of our freedom, for their sacrifice to this country is the greatest gift of all.
So, as you enjoy the rest of your day with picnics, barbecues or family gatherings, acknowledge the true meaning of Memorial Day—the debt we owe to those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country. It is not just the traditional start of the summer vacation season.
Again, thank you for inviting me back home to participate in this ceremony. As a Veteran, I am duty-bound to honor my comrades, both those who sacrificed before me and those who will do so in the future. I ask God to bless those still deployed, who stand in harm's way, protecting our way of life. May God bless our leaders who are serving during these challenging times, where conflict and instability spread across the globe. And finally, may God bless this Great Nation we call home.
