Memorial Day

One commonality between our mixed cultures is our reverence for our ancestors and family. This is an older idea I’ve thought about over time, shaped by living in different places and seeing how cultures remember things differently. I’m revisiting it here because it still influences how I think about perspective and meaning.

While we in the USA have Memorial Day to remember those that gave their lives to preserve our way of life, Russia has multiple days throughout the year to remember both veterans and their great victories.

For a few years, we lived with our window view looking out over the memorial pictured here. We were in one of the 2 towering buildings that flanked it and acted as the gates to the city. We enjoyed it very much and made sure to pay our respects every May 9th. While the memorial is to those that defended Leningrad/Saint Petersburg, our thoughts always went back to those of our grandfathers on Victory Day and Memorial Day. Victory Day in Russia, May 9th, is specifically in remembrance of those who fought in the Great Patriotic War, which we also call World War II.

I had the honor to meet several men during my lifetime that fought in that war. That includes my own grandfather, as well as my spouse’s grandfather, and many others throughout my life that were willing to discuss those pieces they felt comfortable enough to tell their sides of the story and experiences. While we remember all who have fought for our freedoms or ways of life, that particular war laid waste to not only countries, but to continents, thus really being a great war.

So, on this day, I say “Thank you” again to both those that we have known and those who we have not for their trials and tribulations that they endured to maintain the lives that we hold so dearly today.

May we never forget. May we never have to experience such horror again.