During my childhood Memorial Day1 was more commonly known as “Decoration Day.” That is because the emphasis2 was on decorating3 graves4 of our loved ones. I have fond memories5 of loading buckets6 full of bright peonies7 and irises8, as well as a loaded picnic9 basket into my grandparents’ car and then driving with them to southern Illinois10, where all of the relatives11 on my father’s side of the family are buried. Soon after we arrived at the tiny town of St. Elmo, we headed for the cemetery12 and put the flowers on the graves of many relatives, including several great grandfathers13 who had fought in the Civil War14. In fact, the holiday was established in 1869, following the Civil War. My Civil War-veteran15 grandfathers had special American flags on their graves, and my grandmother never tired of telling me why they were there. The emphasis was truly on honoring16 and remembering the dead, as it is today in many ways. Of course, we children were interested in the chocolate cake that was always in the picnic basket. Yum17!
This year we celebrated Memorial Day by getting together with good friends in the late afternoon. All of our deceased18 relatives are buried in Illinois, about 400 miles from here, so we took no fresh flowers there. We had hoped that our get-together19 would be a picnic in the back yard of a friend, but it rained so we had our picnic indoors. Still it was good to be with friends. When we arrived home at night, we watched the Memorial Day concert20 from Washington D.C.21 on television. It was very patriotic22, with great emphasis on those who have died during wars. I’m afraid I couldn’t help but shed a few tears23 as I heard of some of the young people who have recently died. So Memorial Day had both its happy and sad moments for us all.
Notes:
- Memorial Day (纪念日): May 30, a day celebrated in remembrance of war dead, but expanded as a memorial to all non-living relatives and friends.
- emphasis (重点): stress on, or particular consideration of something.
- decorating (点缀): beautifying something.
- graves: places where dead bodies are buried (坟墓).
- have fond memories of something: remember something with pleasure (对……有愉快的记忆).
- buckets (桶): large containers for liquids with a handle at the top rim.
- peonies: large, showy flowers which bloom about the end of May in the Midwest (牡丹花，在美国中西部大约五月底开花).
- irises: a beautiful, large flower in the lily family with long slender leaves showy blossoms (鸢尾花，属于百合科).
- picnic (野餐): an outing with food, usually provided by members of the group and eaten out of doors.
- Illinois: a Midwestern state bordered on the west by the Mississippi River (伊利诺州，其西面是密西西比河).
- relatives:. individual members of one’s family (亲人、亲戚).
- cemetery: a place where many graves are located and maintained (墓地).
- great grandfather : a male parent three generations removed, a parent’s grandfather (曾祖父、曾外祖父).
- Civil War: the war between the northern (Union) and southern (Confederate) states of the U.S., beginning in 1861 and ending in 1865 (美国南北战争).
- veteran: a former member of the armed forces of a country (老兵).
- honoring: showing respect for an individual or group of people (表示敬意).
- Yum! int. an expression indicating that something tastes delicious.
- deceased: (a person) no longer living (已去世的)
- get-together: an informal meeting or party, usually arranged for a particular purpose (聚会).
- concert n. a public performance of music (音乐会).
- Washington, D.C.: the city which is the capital of the United States (华盛顿特区).
- patriotic: showing respect or love for one’s country or flag (爱国的).
- shed (a few) tears: 哭、流泪。
