Memorial Day: Did the Parade Pass You By?

In the small village of Rothsville, Pennsylvania there is a tiny Memorial Day Parade. It consists of a high school marching band, some antique cars from the local polo club, a local government official or two, members of the fire company and ambulance squad and of course the scouts. It starts promptly at 8:30 am, in the center of the town. It leaves from the Rothsville Fire Company Station and concludes in Jerusalem Lutheran Church cemetery.

The parade is a few short minutes long. The local high school marching band that participates is there so briefly, it is ready to march in a second parade of the day by 10:45 am. That town is Lititz, Pennsylvania and is located five miles down the road.

Although this parade takes place on only two streets and there are few participants, it is a parade of enormous proportions. It is the heart of this parade that is huge. In this small village, regardless of the politics of those living here, regardless of feelings pacifism or validity of wars, there is no question here as to how the locals feel about American's veterans. How they feel is easy to express in one word, RESPECT.

The village of Rothsville respects their veterans and they respect their country. They show their respect in an often neglected show of respect, they stand as the flag passes by.

Each year as the band plays, young and old spill out the doors of their Main Street (Route 772) homes to join those who have gathered earlier. Traffic, on the State Route, stops. Spectators join at the tail of the parade with the waving of flags or red, white, and blue decorated bicycles. They trail the parade and follow in the footsteps of the marchers on the way to the cemetery. In years past, a woman pushed an elderly gentleman up the road via a wheelchair so he could participate at the graveside where the Memorial Day services took place. He too would stand when the flag passed by.

A solemn ceremony at the church follows. Earlier Scouts have made certain each grave was decorated with a flag. On Memorial Day, Scouts have also placed flowers on the graves. Guns are fired by members of the armed service. Each person who has taken time out busy schedules and participated in the parade, placed flags on graves, or took part in a ceremony participated for a reason, that reason - to honor those who paid the ultimate price in protecting our country's and our freedoms.

Parades and celebrations like this took place across America on Memorial Day weekend. This story could have easily have been written about a similar village located somewhere, in the United States. But the story of how Rothsville, Pennsylvania chooses to celebrate is unique as each person living their is unique. Their story can impact your life if you let it.

Today is Memorial Day, May 25, 2009. What did you do to celebrate Memorial Day? Did you remember those who gave their life for your freedoms or did you let the parade pass you by?