thats a tough one.
Mine is a little lighter. I have kids. they played instruments. part of the deal is parades and concerts.
Memorial day when I was a kid, meant playing a horn too. as one of those old boring things I had to do, I vaguely remember doing. My parents were home on these days and I was goofing around wishing the day away, blowing on my horn in a memorial day parade.
as an adult I went to the memorial day functions of my kids to, A) see my kid perform B) make sure they got something out of their effort. and to generally be nosy to the Poppy and the day.
What hit me in the feels was seeing my aunts father receive a metal. I had met this man ( insurance agent with a diabetic wife ) many times. My brother is insulin dependant and this shirt tail relation help us learn what not to do in regards to my brother. Vern was a smart ass.
I remember sitting in the rain in my home town. watching the process. waiting for the band to show up. (they perform at three different towns.) Bored. I see vern. it had been years since I saw him. He was honored at the presentation. The metal was clearly his business. He did not seem to want to address it when I said hi. I asked my aunt about it a couple years later..... Hey aunt P____, What did you dad do in the pacific theater? She knew he served but did not know where when or to what capacity.... She asked, Why I asked..... I shared the ( I was at the kids performance ) story. she shruggged and said, Huh, I did not know that.
Memorial day to me has been so much more to me ever since.
how many people were changed by the experience. left one person and came home another.
Not all people who died are in the ground.