Went to a parade yesterday with my 2 year old twins.

[IdaBriggs]

Its their second Memorial Day, and let me say, it was grand. I took them (again) to the local Memorial Day Parade; the weather was perfect, and the company wonderful -- the parade was filled with local people: our local VFW Hall, several fraternal organizations (Eagles, Shriners, etc.), Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, two high school marching bands, the local Harley Davidson club, and representatives from churches, dance schools, boating clubs, vintage cars and fancy corvettes -- you name it.

I won't lie: I got choked up when the parade started and the Veterans began the walk with a slow, measured drumbeat, flags aflying, and uniforms pressed/polished. I think we had some men who served in WWII, and every engagement in between, along with obvious family people who were carrying signs in honor of our missing. "We stand up," I told my children, who really are too young to understand, "to show them we honor them, and appreciate their sacrifice, and their service to us all." My son, who is addicted to flags, proudly shouted out, "FLAGS!" and I smiled through my tears at his simple joy.

What my children loved best, because they are too young to understand, was all of the candy that was thrown. Hordes of laughing children, including mine, scrambled to collect the tootsie rolls and hard candy and bubblegum that were thrown our way. We had some lovely young children next to us who made sure my toddlers got their fair share, and several times I dived after my excited daughter who was willing to run as close as possible to the parading people to get her hands on the candy -- she *got* the whole 'chase the candy thing! -- while my son quickly grew annoyed because he wanted to join in the parade, and we, being evil parents, made him stay close to us instead. LOL! My daughter looked immensely cute in a red, white and blue dress, and I know there was quite a bit of candy thrown directly at her due to her amazing adorableness, and she diligently picked up as much as she could reach, and put it into a bag, while my son, who didn't quite get the whole concept, picked the candy up, and tried to throw it, too, just like the marchers. At the end of the day, the children who were being so kind to my kids were given an unexpected reward -- my babies can't have half the stuff they collected (bubble gum, jaw breakers, fireballs), and so we emptied the bag, and handed over half the loot; their proud parents tried to give us some of theirs, but honestly, it was more about the chasing than the candy at this point. That, and the laughter, and the shouting, and the cheering.

Yes, I made a point of cheering everyone -- even the Republicans. Yesterday was about being an American, and I wanted my children to see me yelling my appreciation and "yeahing!" all of the people who serve this country, even if I don't agree with their positions. I yelled hardest of all for the Democrats, to be fair, including Gary Peters, our new Democratic House Representative who replaced a Bush Republican. He made a point of coming over and gave each of my kids tootsie rolls, which they promptly tried to eat on the spot, while I laughed, and told him we were proud of him, and to keep up the good work supporting Obama. It was a brief exchange; I like to think my twins are somewhat memorable, and I once took them to a local 'stuff envelope' event before they could crawl, so we've started their activist career early! LOL!

It was a good day. The weather was beautiful, the crowd was friendly, and my throat hoarse by the end of it from cheering; my children won't remember the beginning of the parade, if they remember any of it, but I hope the joy of the day is a bit of love that stays in their hearts forever. And when they get older, I can only pray I will be able to explain the tears in my eyes at the beginning of the parade, and how we honor those who are there, as well as those who aren't, and how we are all members of one family, and how someday, it will be their job to guard those same brothers and sisters who guard us -- with wisdom, compassion, and care, by only asking them to put themselves in harms way as an absolute last resort, and then, to remember forever, even when it is easier to forget.

It was a good day, and we got a lot of candy. :)

[bluedeminredstate]

1. Thank you for that.

What a beautiful post. It made me remember all the Memorial Day parades in my small town growing up and the ceremony at the cemetary after. Your post brought me back to all those wonderful May days of my childhood.
Your children are very lucky to have you instill the pride and reverence we should feel for those who serve our country. I bet they were absolutely adorable in their red, white and blue!


:patriot:

[IdaBriggs]

4. Thank you, bluedem. What a wonderfully nice thing to say!

I hope my children feel the same way when they get older! :)

[noamnety]

2. My experience was the same - yet so different.

I marched as a vet, and felt very discouraged by being right behind a group that was throwing candy. It was clear that all the focus was on a Barney mascot and on grabbing candy. As we went along the route people were singing the barney song. We may as well have not been there.

Memorial day parades make me uncomfortable because of that. I have mixed feelings marching in it when it seems to be more of a circus and festival atmosphere, instead of a time for remembrance.

Last year I organized a group that carried the faces of all the michigan dead from Iraq and Afghanistan, I didn't identify myself as a vet because I wanted the focus to be on them - on the memorial - not on me. Everyone in our group agreed to dress in solid neutral clothing - no flags, no peace signs, nothing that put the attention on our views one way or another. I felt that was far more meaningful, and when I marched with that group the people in the busier areas along the route rose up and stood in silence as we passed - it was like a wave of people rising to their feet, I saw some wiping their eyes. It was somber, and I thought a thousand times more appropriate to the day than singing about barney.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to pull the new faces together for this year and none of the other volunteers could commit to updating them, so I had to cancel that group's participation in the parade this year. Next year, we'll be back in as the Iraq and Afghanistan Walking Memorial Project. To me that's what the day is supposed to be about. A random stranger taped us last year, sent it to the city, and they forwarded the DVD to me. (I was keeping myself anonymous in the parade as part of that because I didn't want to mix my political views with that particular project, and oddly the person who sent the DVD also opted to remain anonymous). Here's the video as I received it in the mail:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVBHgSG_Wpw

[IdaBriggs]

5. I watched your video -- amazing! I would have loved to have seen you

folks marching in our parade; I think it would have been very appropriate, and treated with honor, especially in the first part of the parade (before the candy).

I hope I didn't offend you with my tale. And thank you for your service to our country! :) :hi:

[noamnety]

8. No, you didn't offend me at all - in fact I rec'd your thread.

I understand how it is when you have kids - I grew one myself. :)

Memorial Day is awkward for me because I feel obligated to be in the parade, but I have problems with the shriners in tiny cars zipping around and Barney and all ... one of the years we were behind some dance troupe that was wearing a bunch of glitz and spinning batons, seemed to be about promoting their own business as a dance studio. In my mind it's a memorial service, not a party, and it's difficult for me to reconcile how the rest of the world treats it.

There was one air force vet who marched in our parade, in uniform with a giant tattered flag mounted on a large branch. He made himself up with bandages around his head and leg, and fake blood. I asked what group he was with, he said none, he just signed up as an individual to march. I wonder what thoughts were in his head.

We had the faces of the fallen two years at the parade, the year before last I didn't think to register, I just wanted the soldiers killed in action to be represented. So I printed the faces, and a group of us held them on the sidelines without being in the parade, and we slowly walked along the parade route on either side of it behind the spectators, so people on one side of the street could see us behind the crowd on the other side. One of the policemen came over, and I thought he was going to yell at us for not having a permit or something. But instead he told us we should be in the parade, that we were the most important thing there. That's why I signed us up for last year.

I had to finish my MA this year, and yesterday was the final day of my program - there was just no way I could pull it off this year, but I feel a little sick still that I dropped the ball on it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. I cry too. We march ( I tag along with the Boy/Cub Scouts and take pics of them) to 3

different places: the Cemetery, the Union Soldier's statue on the Commons, and the Town Dock. We have three wreath laying/tossing and flag raising ceremonies. 3 beautiful prayers (the pastors in this town are liberal so it is mostly about thanking people for their service and the need to not call on our armed forces in the future unless in dire straits.) One of our Jr High kids always reads the Gettysburg address. We have a tiny town band that plays, as well as a little fife and drum corps.

I cry at every stop.

I am glad your kids are being exposed to things like this. It's good for civic awareness. :) :hug:

[IdaBriggs]

6. Thank you! I agree with you about civic awareness!

It is so easy to get caught up in the joy of a 3-day weekend, and forget about the reason behind the day. I was very impressed with the presence of the Scouts, and I shouted "yeah!" for them as loudly as I could -- after all, their daddy is an Eagle! :) (And so is their Uncle, and their great-grandpa, too, while their Grandpa is a Silver Beaver! woo hoo! )

[proteus_lives]

7. Great Post!

I have a couple nieces and nephews and they were great at that age.

Memorial Day was good for me too, spent an afternoon with my Vet Dad and went to a BBQ with friends/family. Lots of different political opinions but for once, no arguing or fighting, just enjoying each other's company and standing together as Americans. It was great.

I hope you have a million more beautiful days with your family!