Life changes overnight when you live in a summer resort town.
Most of the year the pace of life is, if not quite slow, laid-back. Parking is easily located next to, or close to, your destination. Traffic lights are a nuisance, but quickly passed through. I encounter no lines at stores, and restaurants are rarely crowded. My street at first glance appears deserted, perhaps a negative to some, but I treasure the peace and quiet. Yet stop and observe for a while, and folks emerge. They walk dogs and babies, begin or complete cardio hikes, check the mail, return from the pharmacy or other nearby stores, and wave hi! and retreat indoors. Occasionally neighbors meet in the street and catch up, share gossip, and comment on the weather.
As the temperature rises and rain recedes, outdoor meetings increase and part-timers return to their summer sanctuaries. The official start of summer 2025 is June 20, but the Memorial Day holiday weekend ushers in the unofficial beginning of the season. The town awakens in a burst of activity. A slow procession of cars crosses bridges into town. Traffic backs up at street lights, parking is scarce in commercial areas as well as on residential streets, and store personnel – smiling and personable most of the year – suddenly look harried and tired as they cater to visitor and resident whims. Restaurant staff scurry to meet customer demands, and people gather outside as they impatiently wait for a table.
A stream of cyclists of all ages ride along the street’s bike lanes – an innovation for only a couple of years. Drivers must slow down and have a hawk-eye as folks cross roads on their way to the beach and Boardwalk, kids and grown-ups alike too often failing to look up and down the street for approaching cars. The law requires cars to stop for crossing pedestrians, but too many drivers ignore the law.
But amidst the recreational activity and holiday revelry, we remember that the long weekend was not established to initiate seasonal change. Memorial Day is a sober reminder that not everyone lives to welcome summer and enjoy a break from daily routines.
The historical background…Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died during the Civil War, and the country suffered in the aftermath. Grieving family and friends began to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers every spring, and Decoration Day became a tradition. After World War I, the name changed to Memorial Day to honor all those killed in America’s wars, and the fourth Monday in May became an official holiday in 1971.
In a nation currently suffering severe dysfunction, we pause weekend activities for a few moments and remember the men and women who lost their lives in the hope that their countrymen and women could live a safe, secure life in a free, welcoming society.
“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.” — Harry S. Truman, President, 1945
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