That is what was behind the installation of a civil war plaque at West Boylston's Town Hall.

When men and women march off to war, their ideals may be the greatest.

The reality they face on the battlefield can never be properly recognized on any memorial.

We can, however, ensure their sacrifices are not in vain. That their endeavors yielded a better world.

We cannot possibly list all those who have died in our efforts to win and protect our freedoms, and to protect those ideals for others.

But each community takes time every year to remember and praise those from town who laid down their lives.

Any list is likely to be incomplete, as West Boylston's Civil War list is. When Dave Lindberg researched it, he discovered there were 34 from West Boylston who died in that war, while 27 are listed on the circa 1890s plaque. Differences in where one enlisted, spellings and other details can complicate things. Those who left family to ensure they were remembered, for instance, were more likely to be listed, while those without family or who recently moved to town may have been lost in the shuffle.

Then there are the unknowns, something that may never happen again.

Memorial Day is a time for solemn remembrance.

Jack McCormick has headed up West Boylson's Memorial Day services for many years. He has been adamant that the parade that day be a time for serious remembrance, not frivolity.

Although it is a day off for many, a day many see as a time to have some fun, we must remember why that day was set aside.

Every American, or person who wishes to be a citizen, should take time that day to recall the sacrifices that made the country possible and kept it safe.

Boylston and West Boylston both plan events that day. Each has its own way of remembering.

Solemn services at cemeteries put the day in perspective.

The parades differ, however, and that can reflect the way a community has chosen to use the day.

But any events that day should keep in mind it is not a day of good cheer. The grills may be fired up, music may be playing, but for those lying in their graves, lost at sea or in some unknown resting place, those activities are ultimately tribute to their success in protecting their home and making it all possible.