Memorial Day

I don’t know about you… but I will admit to often forgetting the importance of Memorial Day.  It’s not just another 3 day weekend – especially given the current state of the world.

While in Miami this past weekend, I stumbled on an incredibly poignant memorial.  Along Ocean Drive in South Beach, thousands of paper tombstones commemorated those who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan (4,985 to date). 

Each tombstone had the handwritten name and age of a fallen veteran.  

Each tombstone was written by a different person.

The simple symbolism, especially with the juxtaposition of South Beach during “Urban Week”, was powerful – it was heartbreaking.

 

The memorial was set up by Veterans for Peace.

Memorial Day

 tombstones

Memorial Day

tombstones

the juxtaposition

the memorial

1 comment

  1. Thanks for sharing this! I had no idea … when I visualize it this way it makes me put into perspective the number of fallen soldiers during Afghanistan and Iraq wars. How very sad.

    Chris

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