May 1 is in many parts of the world a day to celebrate. In some countries, May Day recognizes the role
of labor and the worker. Elsewhere, it
is an opportunity to celebrate. In
England during May they would dance around a pole called the Maypole. It is a dance
that some believe was celebrating spring and the nearness of summer. Others speculate that the origins of the dance
stemmed from ancient pagan fertility rites. Maypole dancing was described by the Puritans
as ‘a heathenish vanity’ and was accordingly banned (Wikipedia). Today, you can
dance all you want and not have to worry about being burned at the stake as a
“heathen.” Isn’t progress wonderful?
In the USA, Memorial Day (usually at the end of May) celebrates
the sacrifices of our soldiers and veterans to help keep America and the world
safe. We also celebrate the end of May as the beginning of summer. It is a time when beaches, parks and outdoor
venues open their gates. Students see May as the “end” of school; a time to
graduate, look for a real job and of course attend graduation or prom parties. Have you noticed how graduation now seems a
much bigger deal than it did years ago? High
School teens have elaborate graduation parties, rent tuxes, expensive gowns, limousines
and go to places I could not afford until I was in my forties. Time keeps marching on and customs all over
the world keep changing. This May will
never be like last May for any of us.
What customs do you have in your life associated with May? How have they changed over the years? Were the
changes for the better or worse? What is special about May this year for you?
What is special about this May for me, is that I am finally where I always wanted to be since I first visited. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. First time being here on my epic journey of life. Customs here have to do with Liberation Day/Reunification Day. The fall of Saigon which led my parents to meet in a refugee camp in the US and eventually had four children, myself being the youngest. And now I'm here, 37 years later trying to do something great.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tony for the comments. Sounds like this is a very special day in your life and one you will never forget. I hope you are able to do something great and achieve your goals. Remember the journey is sometimes more important then the destination. Your efforts will eventually bear fruit but you may not see it for awhile.
ReplyDelete