As the title suggests, Memorial Day feels different from other holidays. Calling it "happy" seems out of place when the day is about honoring those who gave their lives for our country. Instead, I see it as a time for quiet reflection, gratitude, and remembrance.
Today, I’m thinking about the countless men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. Some of them were friends, coworkers, and in my line of work when I was in the Navy, sometimes they are quietly honored, it isn't something that is public. Their courage and selflessness allow us to enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted. Whether it’s visiting a memorial, attending a local ceremony, or simply sharing stories about loved ones who served, I believe these acts of remembrance keep their legacy alive.
For me, this day is personal. My grandfather served in WWII and, while he came home, he carried the weight of those who didn’t. His stories remind me that behind every name on a memorial is a life, a family, and a story of sacrifice. My grandfather spoke fluent German and Russian, and was used as a translator at the end of the war as we came upon the Concentration Camps that you often can see images of. While the US came upon the camps in Germany, and they were not the worst they were plenty bad enough... He did not often speak of these things, and certainly not to me as I was far too young to burden with such things, after he died I found some haunting images...
How are you all honoring Memorial Day? Are there traditions or moments of reflection you’d like to share? Let’s use this space to pay tribute to those who gave everything for us.
Regardless of whether you say "Happy Memorial Day" or, like me, you find that an uncomfortable sentiment on a day you remember those who gave their all in service, I hope that you all will take a moment, a pause between bites of a burger perhaps, to remember that it really is true that Freedom Isn't Free...
Today, I’m thinking about the countless men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. Some of them were friends, coworkers, and in my line of work when I was in the Navy, sometimes they are quietly honored, it isn't something that is public. Their courage and selflessness allow us to enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted. Whether it’s visiting a memorial, attending a local ceremony, or simply sharing stories about loved ones who served, I believe these acts of remembrance keep their legacy alive.
For me, this day is personal. My grandfather served in WWII and, while he came home, he carried the weight of those who didn’t. His stories remind me that behind every name on a memorial is a life, a family, and a story of sacrifice. My grandfather spoke fluent German and Russian, and was used as a translator at the end of the war as we came upon the Concentration Camps that you often can see images of. While the US came upon the camps in Germany, and they were not the worst they were plenty bad enough... He did not often speak of these things, and certainly not to me as I was far too young to burden with such things, after he died I found some haunting images...
How are you all honoring Memorial Day? Are there traditions or moments of reflection you’d like to share? Let’s use this space to pay tribute to those who gave everything for us.
Regardless of whether you say "Happy Memorial Day" or, like me, you find that an uncomfortable sentiment on a day you remember those who gave their all in service, I hope that you all will take a moment, a pause between bites of a burger perhaps, to remember that it really is true that Freedom Isn't Free...
