There’s something just fascinating about traditions. How they persist, through time and place, no matter how the world changes. And how they can be so significant and meaningful. They can often keep us focused on the most important things in life.
Like fallen soldiers.
The dead may not be with us, but they should never be forgotten. That’s why we choose to honor them in so many ways – and here’s one I hadn’t heard of before.
Every Memorial Day, servicemen and women head to cemetaries around the USA to pay their respects to the fallen in a most unique way – with the use of coins.
If you happened to be by a grave site on Memorial day – you may have noticed something special: various coins set on tombstones.
It’s important to remember NOT to touch these.
And here’s why:
“A coin left on a headstone or at the frave site is meant as a message to the deceased soldier’s family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect,” writes the USA Military Moms and Angels Facebook page.
Basically, each coin has a different meaning and all are meant to provide comfort for the family when they see how many coins may have been left at their deceased’s tombstone.
A system of different denominations of coins comes into play:
“Leaving a penny at the grave means simply that you visited. A nickel indicates that you & the deceased trained at boot camp together,while a dime means you served with him in some capacity. By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the solider when he was killed.”
What a wonderful way to remember and honor our fallen soldiers!
Please share to spread awareness of this wonderful initiave and honor all fallen soldiers!
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