Happy Memorial Day!

I think it’s fair to say Memorial Day serves two roles in American culture: the intended one and the unintended one.

Writing Prompt: What Does Memorial Day Mean to You?

Memorial Day is an American holiday celebrated on the last Monday in May.

Its intended purpose (which, as the Washington Post pointed out, is not the same as Veterans Day) is to honor those who died in service to their country.

Its unintended role is to notify the world that Summer. Is. Here.

What Does Memorial Day Mean to You?

Personally, Memorial Day reminds me of a place called Sag Harbor, a little town in Long Island where my family and I went every summer.

These days, I only get a chance to go back on the three-day summer holidays, but when I do I’m full of nostalgia. The smell of the cut grass, the quiet bay—it all brings me back to those summers where my parents let my brother and me go off on our own, giving me my first real taste of autonomy.

What makes Memorial Day special to you? Let us know in the comments.

PRACTICE

Take fifteen minutes to work on one of these writing prompts:

  1. Tell us about a person you honor on Memorial Day.
  2. Imagine a U.S. without a military. Now write about it.
  3. Write a scene from your memoir about a typical Memorial Day weekend.

Share your practice in the comments below. And if you share, don't forget to leave feedback for your fellow writers!

Monica is a lawyer trying to knock out her first novel. She lives in D.C. but is still a New Yorker. You can follow her on her blog or on Twitter (@monicamclark).

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