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It was Memorial Day 2010, and one thousand American flags waved wistfully in the wind at the Santa Rosa rural cemetery. Hundreds of people, family members of the victims of war as well as everyday patriots, were gathered at the bottom of the hill to honor the dead. I observed the scene from a slightly different angle than everyone else, that is to say 180 degrees. I was facing the crowd of people, about to speak to the significance of Memorial Day as a guest of the American Legion. I felt a thump in my chest when I was called to the podium, I was prepared, but adrenaline took its effect nonetheless. I looked at the large gathering of people at the cemetery, and the real question was: were they prepared?

My mind flashed back two months earlier to a Sunday afternoon in the Sonoma County Veterans Memorial building. All the Sonoma County delegates nominated for California Golden Boys State 2010 were there for an informational meeting regarding the weeklong conference coming up in June, and I was chosen by interview to be the delegate from my high school. It was at this meeting that a spirited gray-haired lady came up to me and asked if I would be willing to speak as a guest of the American Legion on Memorial Day. Wanting to be involved with the American Legion and feeling especially patriotic to be going to Boys State, I agreed. She gave me her email address, and that was all. The rest of the afternoon was uneventful. Little did I know that giving a speech to honor Memorial Day would be one of the most significant experiences of my life.

I leaned forward and pulled the microphone up. The MC who was speaking before me was a World War Two veteran, and I was a bit taller. I looked down at the speech I had prepared and out at the audience. Then, I spoke the words on the paper in front of me that came from my heart. I expressed why I was grateful to live in America and what I believe constitutes a responsible citizen. I spoke both of sorrow and of joy, and how, “today is the day to remember those who did not return from battle.” After what seemed like a trance of patriotism, I finished speaking and there was applause. My life changed that very moment. I shook hands with the MC then took my seat behind the podium, listening to patriotic music performed by a local men’s choir. I felt good that I had completed my obligation, but I was even more pleased when people began coming over to me after the ceremony and telling me that the speech had truly touched them. I heard that some cried. To me, what was so special about the whole event was that I felt I had articulated the essence of what it is to be an American and honor Memorial Day, whether one agrees or disagrees with war. I realized Memorial Day is really about the living, though it is still a time to revere the dead.

After the crowd dissipated, I was walking back up the hill to leave. Christian van den Berghe, my French tutor who has become a good friend, came over to me. He is a retired linguistics professor, has given up many hours a year tutoring me in French since I was in fourth grade. Christian came to America from the Belgian Congo in 1958, became a citizen and served in the army in a heavy artillery and mortar unit. “Here,” he said as he handed me an envelope. I opened it, and I found three badges from his old army uniform.

This was the culmination of the experience that changed my life. This gesture by my French professor, as well as the feelings that I believe I helped articulate at the Memorial Day ceremony, gave me reason to reflect. I realize that I served the public through this brief Memorial Day address, but it was the listeners’ reactions that were the most beneficial, especially to me. I am changed because that day I realized that the simple act of communicating common feelings and emotions has the propensity to bring light to others’ lives when delivered from the heart. I relate this experience to college as a gathering of impassioned people. Not necessarily patriotic people, but people ardent about a cause such as education. I realize that I connected with many people that Memorial Day, and the resulting benefit was mutual. In my future college career, I hope to similarly identify with my fellow scholars. I believe this gift of communication will enrich my college education.

	Table Of Contents
	MY MEMORIAL DAY EXPERIENCES BY HENRY TRIONE
	It was Memorial Day 2010, and one thousand American flags waved wistfully in the wind at the Santa Rosa rural cemetery. Hundreds of people, family members of the victims of war as well as everyday patriots, were gathered at the bottom of the hill to honor the dead. I observed the scene from a slightly different angle than everyone else, that is to say 180 degrees. I was facing the crowd of people, about to speak to the significance of Memorial Day as a guest of the American Legion. I felt a thump in my chest when I was called to the podium, I was prepared, but adrenaline took its effect nonetheless. I looked at the large gathering of people at the cemetery, and the real question was: were they prepared? My mind flashed back two months earlier to a Sunday afternoon in the Sonoma County Veterans Memorial building. All the Sonoma County delegates nominated for California Golden Boys State 2010 were there for an informational meeting regarding the weeklong conference coming up in June, and I was chosen by interview to be the delegate from my high school. It was at this meeting that a spirited gray-haired lady came up to me and asked if I would be willing to speak as a guest of the American Legion on Memorial Day. Wanting to be involved with the American Legion and feeling especially patriotic to be going to Boys State, I agreed. She gave me her email address, and that was all. The rest of the afternoon was uneventful. Little did I know that giving a speech to honor Memorial Day would be one of the most significant experiences of my life. I leaned forward and pulled the microphone up. The MC who was speaking before me was a World War Two veteran, and I was a bit taller. I looked down at the speech I had prepared and out at the audience. Then, I spoke the words on the paper in front of me that came from my heart. I expressed why I was grateful to live in America and what I believe constitutes a responsible citizen. I spoke both of sorrow and of joy, and how, “today is the day to remember those who did not return from battle.” After what seemed like a trance of patriotism, I finished speaking and there was applause. My life changed that very moment. I shook hands with the MC then took my seat behind the podium, listening to patriotic music performed by a local men’s choir. I felt good that I had completed my obligation, but I was even more pleased when people began coming over to me after the ceremony and telling me that the speech had truly touched them. I heard that some cried. To me, what was so special about the whole event was that I felt I had articulated the essence of what it is to be an American and honor Memorial Day, whether one agrees or disagrees with war. I realized Memorial Day is really about the living, though it is still a time to revere the dead. After the crowd dissipated, I was walking back up the hill to leave. Christian van den Berghe, my French tutor who has become a good friend, came over to me. He is a retired linguistics professor, has given up many hours a year tutoring me in French since I was in fourth grade. Christian came to America from the Belgian Congo in 1958, became a citizen and served in the army in a heavy artillery and mortar unit. “Here,” he said as he handed me an envelope. I opened it, and I found three badges from his old army uniform. This was the culmination of the experience that changed my life. This gesture by my French professor, as well as the feelings that I believe I helped articulate at the Memorial Day ceremony, gave me reason to reflect. I realize that I served the public through this brief Memorial Day address, but it was the listeners’ reactions that were the most beneficial, especially to me. I am changed because that day I realized that the simple act of communicating common feelings and emotions has the propensity to bring light to others’ lives when delivered from the heart. I relate this experience to college as a gathering of impassioned people. Not necessarily patriotic people, but people ardent about a cause such as education. I realize that I connected with many people that Memorial Day, and the resulting benefit was mutual. In my future college career, I hope to similarly identify with my fellow scholars. I believe this gift of communication will enrich my college education.