Memorial Day! What does it all mean? And what about them Poppy’s? The picture you are looking at here is on Memorial Day a couple years ago with a show of honor to a soldier that is always remembered each year in Bishopville, SC.
Memorial Day is also known as Remembrance Day. In the days leading up to this day you will see people on the TV and in the streets wearing a poppy. The Poppy! You’ve seen people handing them out around town maybe the Walmart or in our small town Mr. Gilbert Baker, one of the most loved Veterans in our town, has handed them out at the local Hardees.
But why a poppy? Why not a rose or some other flower? The poppy happens to have real history in the battlefield. This is a symbol to remember those who have lost their lives in conflicts around the world and those who have been killed as a result of terrorism. It also represents the contribution of families and of the emergency services. Millions of poppies will be sold over the coming days by tens of thousands of volunteers.
So, why a poppy? World War 1 was one of history’s bloodiest battles. Eleven million military personnel and several million civilians lost their lives. But despite the horrors of the bloodied European battlefields, the warm spring of 1915 brought new life. As farmers plowed the fields close to the front line, they disturbed dormant poppy seeds, causing them to germinate. The battlefields in Belgium, France and on Turkey’s Gallipoli peninsula sprang to life with red field poppies.
So, why do we wear them? The reason poppies are used to remember those who have given their lives in battle is because they are the flowers which grow on the battlefields, after World War One ended. The money raised from these donations is used to help servicemen and women who are still alive, whose lives have been changed by wars that they have fought in. The money helps veterans who may need to find new jobs or somewhere to live, or any other support they may need. It is also used to help those who have lost loved ones because of wars.
Now, the poppies that you see given out is not live flowers, but rather silk or paper. I’ve personally not tired to grow any poppies at all in my yard, but it might be a good choice of flower. I’ll give that some thought for maybe next year. So this Memorial Day, when you see a Veteran or any volunteer handing out that cute little red flower, accept it with a smile and tell them thank you for their service, and don’t forget to remember the ones that have laid down their lives so you may live in freedom this Memorial Day. So, here’s to the fallen. We salute you today.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
Until next time, live life in full bloom