As we enter the month of May, my thoughts turn to summer. The school year is coming to a close and outdoor activities are really starting to open up. In just a few weeks, Memorial Day will be here and then it is summer. It’s that simple.
The Memorial Day weekend has always been one of my favorite holiday weekends. I will typically schedule a few vacation days around this date to extend the holiday. These days, that time is spent getting our home and yard ready for summer. But as a boy, I can remember my family having a cookout every year, either in our backyard or at a local state park. My mom and dad would load the car, and we would pile in for a road trip to Shawnee or Yellow Creek for a fun day of fishing, swimming, and picnic food.
One of my favorite Memorial Day weekend memories is of the annual top-100 countdown on local AM radio stations. Typically, the countdown would begin on Friday night and run through Monday. Sometimes it would be repeated. In those days, it was a great way to hear all your favorite songs together. I would always have a transistor radio with me, with an extra battery, just in case. The sound wasn’t that great, but the songs sure were. I would try to guess where each of my favorites would play in the countdown. This event often reoccurred over the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekend.
As an aspiring drummer, I spent much of my time listening to music. Certain places and events can still bring back strong and clear memories of favorite songs. We all have a soundtrack to our lives; mine is the rock and top-40 songs of the 1970s and early 1980s. While I listen to and enjoy all music, including today’s, these songs take me back to younger days. Every time I sit behind the drums and play one of these songs, I can feel the energy of being pulled back in time. That’s the power of music.
We would always fly the American flag on Memorial Day weekend. My father was a steelworker and an Army veteran, and the flag was special to him. We were taught to understand and respect what Memorial Day meant. We would visit the local cemeteries to pay respect at the graves of veterans and relatives. It is important to remember that these individuals fought and died to preserve liberties that many often take for granted.
This Memorial Day, please remember all those who gave all.
Bernard A. Oravec
Publisher
boravec@barashmedia.com
