Happy Memorial Day from Outer Banks Blue

Monday, May 25, 2009

Happy Memorial Day! The unofficial start to the summer season is upon us and here at Everything Outer Banks and we greet the day with excitement and reverence.

The Memorial Day holiday is officially explained in wikipedia as a federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May and commemorates the men and women of the United States who died while in military service. First created in 1868 the holiday was enacted to honor Union soldiers who perished in the Civil war, and after World War I it was expanded to include soldiers who perished in any war or military action. In 1968 the Holiday was finalized as a Federal Holiday thus creating a 3 day weekend that coincides with the early summer start.

On a more relaxed level Memorial Day means a long weekend at the beach, time with family, and cookouts in the back yard and certainly the Outer Banks is brimming with folks who are enjoying a day away from work today. The water temps are rising, and the sun is out so we will have lots of folks sporting their first evidence of a beach day at work later this week.

As the day progresses however we want to call attention to the real reason of the day and to call attention to the fact that President Obama has called today an official day of remembrance. The White House Commission on Remembrance has designated 3PM on Monday, May 25, 2009 as a time to pause in an act of national unity (duration: one minute). On the web site (http://www.remember.gov/) it states “The time of 3 P.M. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. The moment dos not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died for our freedom. It will help to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble holiday it was meant to be. In this shared remembrance, we connect as Americans.”

We at Everything Outer Banks pause on this special day and remember as well. Thank you to all who made the ultimate sacrifice.