Memorial Day Remembrances

As tradition would have it, I visited cemeteries this Memorial Day weekend.

When I was a kid we would go to the cemetery where my father’s parents are buried. We would clean off the headstones, pull weeds, plant flowers, and light incense and candles. We would position a U.S. flag at the top of my grandfather’s headstone to proclaim his military service for all to see. He served in the U.S. Army in World War I even though he was an immigrant from Greece. Then we would go to a brief service in the cemetery performed by a Greek Orthodox priest. Finally the priest would come to my grandparents’ gravesite and say a few prayers (in Greek) while we listened and silently said our own prayers (my prayer was usually something like, “God, make us done with all this praying so we can go eat lunch at a restaurant.”) Then, my aunts and uncles, cousins, and my family would go to a restaurant and eat lunch. (My prayers answered.)

So this year, en route to an Open House in my hometown of Royal Oak (Michigan), we drove to the cemetery where my dad is interred. My husband, mother and I parked the car along the edge of the driveway and walked the few yards to my dad’s gravesite. Some things were reminiscent of the past and some things were very different. My husband cleaned off the headstone using his jackknife to clear dirt from the engraving. We poured water on the stone cleaning off grass cuttings. We placed a U.S. flag at the top of my dad’s headstone proclaiming his military service in the U.S. Army in World War II. We said a few silent prayers (my prayer was “God, be with my mom and comfort her as she needs right now.”)

And, after the Open House, we stopped into the cemetery where my mother-in-law is buried. Again, we cleaned the headstone, checked for weeds, and made sure the U.S. flag was waving over her gravesite to proclaim her military service in the U.S. Marines. She served during peacetime in the late 1950’s. We said a few silent prayers (my prayer, “God, help us live lives worthy of the sacrifice of the soldiers.”)

With all in order at the cemeteries, another Memorial Day has come and gone. But, my prayers for our U.S. servicemen and servicewomen continue. “God, bring them home safely.”