Complex Numbers

Memorial

Tomorrow, I'll resume posting links to discuss, and sometimes entries into "Journalistic Intentions"  [18+] (which I suggest checking out; the prompts are really open-ended and I'd love to see others' takes on some of them). So consider today kind of a break. A holiday, if you will.

Interesting word, "holiday." In British English, it means "vacation." Here in the US, it's usually some sort of observance, commemoration, official day off for some people (but obviously not everyone).

The word itself is, as one might guess, derived from words meaning "holy day." As I've noted here too many times to count, words change over time, but I find it useful to know their origins sometimes.

I urged yesterday, "Tell us about your Memorial Day plans!" So it's only fair, I suppose, that I do the same. Memorial Day is, by most definitions of the word, a holiday, a secular one observed in the US (though of course different religions can interpret it as they see fit) to commemorate primarily those who have died in the service of the Armed Forces of the US. We have other days for honoring those who have served, or will serve.

In practice, it's a day for cookouts, going to a beach, setting off fireworks (really, we Yanks don't need much excuse for that), or getting together with friends. It's the unofficial start of the summer season here, so summer, outdoor activities predominate. Some find this disrespectful of the purpose of the holiday, I suppose. I'm not going to take sides either way, but I will point out that such activities fall under the nebulous heading of "freedom," which is what they say service members fought for.

Me? I hate crowds even when there's not a pandemic going on (and make no mistake, there still is), so I generally stay home and drink. Coincidentally, that's what I do most days, but when I drink on Memorial Day, I remember my dad and my uncle (not his brother, but my mom's).

Neither of them died in battle, but both served in WW2. And I say they didn't die in battle, but with my uncle, that's a technicality. I knew him, growing up, as a big, scary, ominous presence who wasn't entirely sane.

Not that he was dangerous. I mean, sure, he had been a soldier, but when we got into that war, it's not like he had much of a choice. He had been a gentle man (that space between those words is entirely intentional), and remained so. He was just... not all there. Unpredictable. My aunt, his sister, had to take care of him while running a business, and she did her duty, too. They called it "shell-shock" then, but I suppose he had what would be called PTSD now.

That's what happens when you're a Jewish American soldier marching through Germany, seeing your comrades die in battle, and learning the first-hand truth about what was going on at Dachau.

I know from his letters home, which I've read but shan't quote here, that he did, indeed, die in that war, even though his body lasted another 45 years.

So that's what I remember on Memorial Day. Take it as you will. I won't shame anyone for grasping what enjoyment they can from the holiday, or for doing the opposite and commemorating it in silent solemnity, or anything in between. Like I said... freedom. It comes at a high price, and it's not only the soldiers who pay it.

Mini-Contest Results

Thanks for all the comments! I couldn't be arsed, after all that above, to use the Virtual Dice, so you'll just have to take my word that the choice is random. LeJenD' Looking Up gets the Merit Badge for today. There will be other opportunities, hopefully ones less depressing.

Just a couple of quick notes:

SandraLynn Team Florent!, Victoria Day is the "first official weekend of non-winter" in Canada? I didn't know there was a "non-winter" in Canada. Okay, I exaggerate. I've been to Toronto and Vancouver (different years) in July, though, and they were complaining about 80F being a heat wave. That's not a heat wave. That's a mild spring day.

Don't get me wrong; I love Canada. Beautiful country, when it's not covered by s**w.

Happy birthday to Elisa the Bunny Stik!

Writer_Mike, you honor your friend.

Everyone else, again, thanks for your comments, and however you observe the day (or not), have a good one.