When I was a child my small, western Pennsylvania town held a parade each Memorial Day. The local high school band marched, vintage cars cruised the parade route. Youngsters (me included) decorated our bikes with streamers and flags for the parade. And veterans, some still able to wear their service uniform, marched; each carrying the flag they fought to defend. My grandfather and father were among them.

The parade route ended at the only cemetary in town next to the Catholic Church. Following a brief ceremony that included a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and veterans placed a new flag and flowers or wreaths on each grave.

Sadly my hometown discontinued that tradition many years ago.

Yesterday my husband and I attended the meaningful Memorial Day Service at the American Legion in Oxnard. LtCdr James Watts, commanding officer of NMCB40 was the keynote speaker. LtCdr Watts spoke of the impact veterans of the local American Legion post have had on him personally and his observance of Memorial Day.

I was impacted by many things at this service. Mrs. Joyce Sihler, the Gold Star Wife, clutched the picture of her deceased husband as she told us with great conviction that her husband would not have changed a thing. There were a number of veterans in attendance but one in particular moved me. An older gentleman, advanced in age and frailed by time, he required assistance to stand and be recognized as a WWII vet. During the singing of God Bless the USA this vet stood with us, waving the flag he defended so many years ago. I fought tears as he did.

But Memorial Day, though often confused, is not about the veteran's living today. It is about those who died in defense of their country or as a result of such service. It is a day to remember and reflect on the sacrifice made by those who 'made their breast a barricade between country and its foes.'

As LtCdr Watts noted, "Memorial Day is not about motor sports, picnics, fishing and a three-day weekend." He also noted that if we don't talk to the veteran's, determining to learn their experience, their story we miss the important part of Memorial Day, and an important part of what has made this nation and the generations before us great.

As I looked around it occurred to me that at least two generations were missing at this service...my generation and the one following me. How will we retain the knowledge of the price of our prosperity and comfort? How can we insure that we learn all we can from the quickly-disappearing 'greatest generation'; World War II vets? How will we honor those who have fallen in our current conflict? How will we properly honor the fallen if we do not understand them, value them and their efforts, their mission and their sacrifice?