A Different Memorial Day

After moving to Madison almost four years ago, I was riding through the city's largest and oldest cemetery and found a grave site called Southern Rest.

It held the remains of Confederate soldiers who died while being held in the prisoner of war camp at Camp Randall (the United States fort became the site for the current football stadium) a couple miles away.

This year I noticed in the paper one of the Memorial Day services would be held at the Southern Rest.

I was curious about what such a service might include.

A leader spoke of the loyalty of those in the armed forces of the south.  He did it without judging the morality of the cause; or offering a defense.

This wasn't about the reason for the Civil War about the lives of those who fought on the front lines for the losing side.

Instead, he spoke of the dead, privates and low ranking officers mostly, who answered the call to service.

A three round volley followed the playing of taps; then each person in attendance was invited to take a flag and plant it next to marker bearing the name of the state.

We were asked to make note of the name; to recognize the battles our country faced (even against our brothers) is not a battle of monolithic forces, but of individuals like L. D. Parker who was part of Company B before his life ended.

Who was Parker?  What about his family and what might have come a life in full?

Planting the flags and pausing before the silent stones added depth for me that's difficult to consider against the more than 1 million fighting men and women who died in service to their country.

This different Memorial Day was a time for me to consider the individuals who fight for us and for our country.

Thousands upon thousands may fight, but individuals serve... may we never forget.