Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer & most of us think of bar-b-cues, swimming & fun. The reality of this weekend however, is Memorial Day is a day of remembrance to honor those who have died defending our nation. Their sacrifices have secured that today we get to have bar-b-cues & fun. I am fearful that as education has been white washed & huge pieces of history skipped over from curriculum, many young people no longer understand the magnitude & sacrifice of today & of so many. Those who were killed, were willing to die for our country & to do so voluntarily. This level of duty & service for others is true moral courage. We need to remember them & be grateful for them.
Unfortunately, we have become a society of instant gratification, false realities & distorted self worth based upon social media clicks & likes. We celebrate celebrity’s who live in gilded cages of filters & fake realities, while we overlook courageous, purposeful & dedicated people. We have lost our curiosity about history, an appreciation of our elders, the stories they share & a commitment to be good stewards of these things for future generations. The older I get, the more reflective & committed I am to share my wisdom & traditions with my grandchildren & others. Having recently lost my father, a WWII veteran, I am now the person to share the stories, history & heritage of who we are. Memorial Day was always an important day for my dad. There were parades & services to attend & poppies on lapels (honoring military members who died in service). At the family bar-b-cue there were stories of the ‘boys from the neighborhood’ who didn’t make it back. While I don’t remember many of those names nor their stories, I do remember that my life & the life of my family today is because of them & the ultimate sacrifice they made for all of us. They are true heroes. I hope everyone finds some time this weekend for reflection, gratitude & prayer for those who have given so much for all of us. Talk about them, speak to your children & grandchildren about them & let’s not forget who we are & how we got here. God Bless America & God Bless our Fallen Solders!
‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’
George Santayana
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