Proclaimed in 1868, and originally known as Decoration Day, ![](http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/uploads/americanflag.jpg)
Memorial Day was slow to catch on in the South, which, understandably, had their own day to memorialize their war dead. We must honor them too - they were fighting for freedom, as they saw it.
How easy it is to forget the meaning of the holiday - the day to remember fallen soldiers, and to decorate their graves - unless you have lost one recently, or saw pals die in battle. In that case, it's easy to remember.
It shames me to think how much of what I take for granted has been bought with blood, sweat, and tears. How do you thank the dead, other than with remembrance and prayer?
A detailed history of Memorial Day here.