A Day Of Remembrance – The Purpose of Memorials

Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure. Jane Austen

We just celebrated Memorial Day in the United States.  This day of remembrance was

It became Memorial Day as a US Federal holiday in 1971, the year I graduated High School. In practice, many use it as an opportunity to remember family and friends who have passed as well as honoring fallen soldiers of all wars.  As an aside, we celebrate Veterans Day in November, to honor living veterans and soldiers on or near Armistice Day.

 Memorials are important

Our pastor spoke to this on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.  A memorial, in many cases a stone of some kind, causes us to remember, which means to:
  • Be Mindful
  • Recount, Repeat and Rehearse
  • Record
The purpose of this remembering is to:
  • Recall the past.
  • Recount to those in the Present
  • Respond to the future
 You see, this idea of remembering is what THE STONEBRIDGE is really about.  To remember the past, learn from it in order to repeat what is helpful and avoid that which is not.  The BLOG is intended to serve as the “recounting to those in the present” piece.  You are “those”!.  It is my belief that telling lost stories serves to inform in order that we are able to benefit from the past while moving forward.  This is what remembrance is about.

Remembrance Of A Historic Home’s Namesakes

We were not able to travel to the resting places of our families.  Geography and schedules prevented any large gatherings of our clan, so instead, Dr. Dave and I visited the resting places of the HahnStackmanSteinbuchel- Gouldner– Wilson clan at Maple Grove Cemetery and The Old Mission Mausoleum near-by.
These are the families for whom our historic home is named and whose descendants we have come to know.  It’s nice to have an adoptive family of sorts.  We have visited a few of these places before but since I have been diving into the details of their lives,  and posting my findings on THE STONEBRIDGE, this visit had a deeper meaning.  Of course that is always the case, when we know more, it means more.
Today is ours to shape tomorrow as we are informed by the past.  Happy Remembering!
What did you do to celebrate Memorial Day this year?  Please comment below.

I am a former air traffic controller, pilot, Aircoupe owner, married 42 years to a great guy. We live in a 125+ year old historic Victorian, enjoy cats, vintage anything, precious friends. My passion is Giving Lost Stories A Voice – Giving Found Materials Fresh Form and Purpose!

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