Photography || Memorial Day
As mentioned in my last post, I spent part of this Memorial Day visiting a cemetery. Though not a large place, the cemetery was filled with small flags on the graves of the veterans, as well as many full-sized flags. Going there was a good way to remember what the holiday was all about, and I enjoyed photographing the symbols of patriotism. Here are several of the photos I took.
I imagine that not everyone likes to visit cemeteries, but for me it is interesting. I like seeing the names of all the people whose lifetimes were long before mine. At this site, many men who had been in World War II were buried. There were even some from World War I! Though I will probably never know their stories, it is comforting to think that God knew each one intimately.
Readers from other countries, do you have a day on which you
honor your nation's war heroes?
How do you mark the day?
American readers, have you ever been to a cemetery on Memorial Day?
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26
Reader from New Zealand here! :)
ReplyDeleteWe have something called Anzac Day. The ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) forces worked together in World War 1. Anzac Day commemorates all the soldiers, both alive and dead, and is on the anniversary of one particularly famous battle the Anzac forces fought in - the battle of Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915.
As to how we celebrate it, red poppy badges are sold in the weeks before Anzac Day and the proceeds support army veterans. People wear the red poppies on their clothes on Anzac Day. I think the poppy symbols come the famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' which is worth a read if you're interested. Also people often eat Anzac biscuits.
Ceremonies are held at war memorials and it's a public holiday. Similar to Memorial Day I think apart from the poppies and the story behind Gallipoli!
Yay!
DeleteThat is so neat! Thank you for telling me your nation's history. :D I have an Australian blogging friend who wrote about Anzac Day once. It's neat that you wear the red poppies! They used to popular in the US, but I didn't see any this year. :\
I usually attend a ceremony at a cemetery on Memorial Day, although this year I did not.
ReplyDeleteIn general I like to visit cemeteries for no particular reason. I like the solitude and quiet, and I like contemplating the lives lived long before mine. The names often fuel my imagination as well (which is great, since I'm a writer) and I love finding the most absurd names in the cemetery! :) (like the Pancake family who actually named their kids things like "blueberry")
Yes, I have attended in the past, but not for a couple of years or so now!
DeleteThat is so neat! I love reading the unique names too. Wow...that is quite the name. ;)