The meaning behind Memorial Day is not just a three day weekend for cookouts and celebrating an official beginning of summer. This day, often regarded in the past as Decoration Day, is to remember fallen soldiers of the U.S. Military that gave their lives for the freedom of this country.

On this day, many Americans decorate and lay flowers at the graves of fallen soldiers or celebrate patriotism and veterans’ service by attending parades. Interestingly enough, this tradition dates back thousands of years ago to Roman and Greek era where the dead were often celebrated and praised for their bravery through public funerals and tributes.

The United States’ history of this day began during the Civil War in the mid-1800’s. The main man to thank for establishing this holiday is General John A. Logan. Logan was in charge of the Union’s Veteran group and proclaimed that May 30 shall be a day to commemorate the lost soldiers of the Civil War from both sides. People decorated around 20,000 graves that following year.

Even diving a bit deeper into the American idea of Memorial Day, during the war women in the south had formed a group to decorate graves of Confederate soldiers. Today this tradition stands in six southern states; Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina. Because of the Ladies Memorial Association of Columbus, General Logan expanded the idea and made it national to commemorate all soldiers.

Following that, in 1873, New York became the first state to recognize Memorial Day as a state governed holiday. Waterloo, New York is the only federally recognized birthplace of the modern-day Memorial Day, even though numerous places claim themselves as the rightful beginning of the holiday. After this declaration, many other cities and states also declared Memorial Day a legal holiday, especially following World War I where the day was deemed to honor not just the fallen servicemen of the Civil War, but of all wars.

Memorial Day did not become a federal holiday though until 1971 as part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act created to expand three day weekends for workers. The day was moved from May 30 to the last Monday of May. There has been much controversy ever since the act was passed on how it demotes fallen veterans for the convenience of the government, in other words, it shows disrespect.

With a connotation of disrespect looming in the air, there are many things you can do this Memorial Day to show respect to the servicemen that sacrificed their lives so that you can live in a country with freedom, rights and safety. Some things you can do are observe the moment of Silence and Remembrance on Memorial Day at 3:00 p.m., thank a veteran, clean up or decorate a local gravesite or cemetery, fly an American flag at half-staff until noon and then raise it and treat it with respect and even volunteer at a local Auxiliary post in your town.

As many people have spoken on this day in respect to veterans, one of the most powerful quotes comes from President Ronald Reagan during a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, “Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It's a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others.”

On Memorial Day this year, I’m not asking you to stop the barbecue or party on the lake, I am asking you this weekend to find a way to show respect to the current, fallen and future soldiers of the U.S. Military. I ask you to find a way to thank a veteran, and never to forget the sacrifices that these soldiers make every day so that you can live in a world where independence, self-determination, respect, protection and choice are a natural way of living.