Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda: I Woulda Remembered On Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a day for remembering. It is the day set aside to honor those who have died in our country’s armed forces. Had I realized Memorial Day’s possibilities for our family to appreciate the life we shared, I would have made a greater effort to celebrate this last Monday in May.

I would have started by teaching my children the history of Memorial Day through books, puzzles, and games. We would have talked about the importance of remembering soldiers who have died serving our country. We would have chosen a fallen soldier to remember on this day at the Moment of Remembrance. We would have shown our appreciation for those men and women still serving by adopting a soldier or comforting injured soldiers.

We should have extended the concept of Memorial Day by reminiscing about family members who have died. We would have shared our favorite memories of them. We could have visited a grave site and left flowers or honored their memory by donating to a particular cause. We could have made a memory book of that loved one and and included treasured pictures and favorite memories. We would have visited other family members and shared a memory visit.

We would have remembered friends who were no longer with us. We would have remembered family pets, former homes, and all those memories that we cherish. We could have started a memory card box by writing our favorite memories of that which has passed, and begin to deposit new memories that happen every day.

We would have remembered the current school year as it was ending. We would have recalled the highs and lows, and written notes or baked cookies to take to those who have made our school year a success.

We would have culminated our Memorial Day with a family outing. We would have gone to the swimming pool, or on a picnic, or to a community gathering. We would have used the day to remember all the things that we enjoy and that make us a family. After all, the one of the best way to observe Memorial Day is to create new memories.

About the Author:

Luanne Davidson is the proud mother of three adult children and wonders what might have been if she had done a thing or two differently. She writes her “Coulda, Woudla, Shoulda” column each Thursday.