Memorial Day has come and gone.
The memories of those who were close to us and died while serving in the military linger. Undoubtedly they accompany mothers, fathers, spouses, children and friends throughout their daily routines but the hole created by their absence seems especially deep during the national day of recollection.
This year, obviously, the memorials were different.
The public ceremonies featuring the pomp and circumstance of flyovers, speeches and decorated grave markers were muted by the need to stay home and avoid large public gatherings to stop the spread of COVID-19.
In other ways, however, the public gatherings that mark the holiday — and its preceding holiday weekend — were nearly as robust as they have been in years past.
Countywide the beaches and parks that typically were overcrowded with picnicking families and sun worshipping bodies were replaced by roving bands of family and friends walking along in large groups and small, prohibited from sunbathing or lingering too long in one space, again, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that has altered the way we used to do things.
(Frankly, there were still plenty of instances in which people plopped down on a small piece of land or hung out in a group despite health advisories to the contrary.)
Restaurants, newly allowed to admit patrons onto their premises for food and drink provided they were masked and spaced appropriately distant, saw people emerge and drink and be merry at their beloved eatery.
Elsewhere in the country images of overcrowded beaches and food shacks showed revelers carrying on as if the holiday weekend were like any other from yesteryear.
It was.
And it wasn’t.
Memorial Day has come and gone and ushered in the unofficial start of summer. More and more people, as they grow tired of staying at home and at the same time are beckoned by sun and good weather, will venture out to try to resume life the way they used to know it.
The veterans who left us will be remembered in future ceremonies once this pandemic is over. But will we remember those who died before and after our rush to get back to normal?
