Saturday Morning Message: How We Will Honor Memorial Day

Good morning,

The springtime holidays from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day, with Memorial Day in between, can be stressful for many surviving adults and children. If there is a significant birth or angelversary date that occurs during this time, it can be even more emotional for the family. This year is particularly stressful with social distancing and the uncertainty that comes with living during a pandemic. For this reason, TAPS is holding a virtual national seminar that you can attend from your own home. You’ll be able participate online in the company of others through a variety of sessions.To  register or for more information, go to Virtual National Military Survivor Seminar and Family Program. Whatever your plans for the week of Memorial Day, know that your TAPS family is here to support you.

Hugs,
Carol Lane
Mother of Bryon

Answers from Survivors

Responses from Survivors to last week's question: What are you going to do to honor your loved one on this Memorial Day?

From Donna, mother of Eric: Our son was KIA on May 26, 2012, the Saturday of Memorial weekend. Each year we host his battle buddies for a long weekend. Some even stay a week. This year, it isn't feasible to have everyone come. A memorial wall group that's about two hours away from us has asked for us to come each year and we just haven't been able to go with all the boys here. So this year, we will be attending their memorial service and get an etching of our son's name on their wall. They have a formal plan for us to get the etching, so Eric will be highlighted during the ceremony. It will be very different this year. Usually I'm so busy cooking for 30 Marines and family that I don't have any time to be sad or wallow. I'm not sure what to expect this year. 

If you would like to send a message thanking one or all of those who participated in this week’s Saturday Morning Message, send it to me at online@taps.org and I will make sure your thoughts are passed along to them.

Question for Next Week’s Saturday Morning Message 

This week’s question comes from Lalaine, daughter of Francisco. She writes, “No one knows more the true meaning of Memorial Day than our TAPS families. It is not just a holiday for us, but a lifetime of grief and memories of a love that can't be contained to only one day in the year. If someone were to greet you saying ‘Happy Memorial Day’ how would you respond? How have you responded in the past? Has your answer changed since your loss?” We look forward to your response.

The Saturday Morning Message was created so survivors can share questions and read how others respond. I am always looking for questions for future messages. I encourage you to reply to the Saturday Morning Message by emailing online@taps.org. In order to have your reply included the following week, it is best to send your response to me by Tuesday morning. Thank you to everyone responding this week and those who read this message.

♫ Song for the Week

This week’s song is from Laura, spouse of Gregory, who wrote, “Greg always enjoyed driving me nuts with a metal song like, "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor". I’d yell at him to turn it down and he’d tell me that his Grandma always told him how music soothes the soul of a savage beast! Let the bodies hit the floor is now on my workout playlist!" 

If you would like to send a message thanking one or all of those who participated in this week’s Saturday Morning Message, send it to me at online@taps.org and I will make sure your thoughts are passed along to them. You never know how your words may touch the heart of another.

You can send me favorite songs for this song of the week section at online@taps.org and include a note about why the song is meaningful to you.

Related Stories