It is celebrated near the date of the reunification of the United States after the end of the civil war. After World War I Memorial Day was expanded to more of what it is today. On this day in 1962 the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial was dedicated to honor the lives that were lost at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by Japanese attack. This attack gave the United States of America reason to enter World War II and, in the words attributed to Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto but more likely made-up by Hollywood, "woke a sleeping giant." The U.S. was far from a sleeping giant. This attack on the U.S., however, did force us to act and stop some of the worst of the World's atrocities since America's birth.I find that I am a lot like America itself.
I believe most Americans are the same. The American spirit to me is that we want to be able to pursue our own happiness as long as it doesn't effect someone else's pursuit of their own happiness. It lets us believe that we can do anything we set our minds to do. Most of us also want to defend the people who cannot defend themselves. We are, for the most part, laid back but driven until we are provoked. Once provoked we become the awakened giant. 
America has had the fighting spirit since the very beginning, literally. We are a country founded by people who were willing to risk everything. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, Thomas Jefferson and countless others who risked death as traitors to fight for our beginning. The American Revolution was the birth of the American fighting spirit and our country. As we are each products of our own personal natures and nurturing so too is America. Way before 1776 people migrated to this land for freedoms of religion...we are based on freedom.When I was working in my yard yesterday I couldn't help but think about the millions of soldiers who have fought for me and the countless that have lost their lives since 1776 so I could have the right to own my own land. I am humbled by the dedication that is given so each and every one of us has the freedoms we have come to take for granted. Most countries in the world don't have near the liberties and freedoms we possess. Many of the people in the world who we consider enemies dislike America because of our freedoms: religion, speech, pursuit of happiness...
I started thinking about my own personal history. I was born on a U.S. Army base in Heidelberg, West Germany near the Berlin Wall and the countless Nazi Concentration Camps that Americans gave their lives to liberate. I was willing to serve and was sworn-in to do my part but became unable to serve in the military due to personal injury.
I have visited and taken great interest in many of the arenas and monuments that have made America what it is: Philadelphia, Gettysburg, Arlington National Cemetery, Washington D.C., Charleston, Mt. Rushmore, The Alamo, Pearl Harbor. Actually, anywhere you and I visit in our country is historical because it is made possible by Americans fighting so we can be here. Now I blog whatever I want on a daily basis because of the freedom I have been granted. This same freedom also made possible for people to invent the tools by which I blog. I know this is somewhat disjointed and rambling at times but that is one of my inalienable rights as an American...Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Rambling Blogs!We, as Americans, owe a great debt of gratitude that we can never repay to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to making our country what we treasure every day. There are people who are reading this blog who have served or are presently serving. There are people who have children who have served or are serving now.
Though Memorial Day is set aside for the soldiers who fought and died for us I treat Memorial Day and Veteran's Day the same. I think of all the people who have given of themselves to protect me and allow me to live with the freedoms I treasure. I appreciate the soldiers who gave the ultimate price of their lives and their families for their losses. I further know that by putting on the uniform they are ALL willing to pay that price for you and me. Thank you for all that you do for us every day!** photos liberated as follows: u.s.s. arizona - ballslist.com, imo jima - marines.mil, continental congress - archives.gov, statue of liberty - awuaphoenix.com & arlington national cemetery - bearpit.net 88
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