Memory is a funny thing
This holiday has always been a bittersweet one for me. Memorial Day is the time we have set aside as a nation to remember our fallen heroes of military action from 1776 until now. On this day, we honor the sacrifices made by so few for so many to ensure that the Republic endures.
It is a bittersweet day for me because we celebrate that sacrifice by some of the most intense living we ever enjoy. We gather as friends and families. We cook, eat, drink, and play games. Some of us shop or go to movies. Some of us just enjoy a respite from the daily grind.
It is bittersweet because I wonder how many really remember. How many really understand what has happened until today to make this day even possible, let alone necessary. Do we remember, or do we just celebrate the extra day off?
Here is my challenge for you today: Remember. Stop what you are doing right now–yes right now–and remember. Remember the people who have given their all so that we can be free. Thank God for their sacrifice and pray for the families and generations they left behind.
Remember that freedom is not free and that brave men and women have fought and died to ensure we still have it. Brave men and women have fulfilled their oath to protect and defend the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic even when it was unpopular, difficult, or otherwise unknown.
Remember that our freedom is bought with a price: the eternal vigilance of patriots and citizens who watch against the forces that would threaten to bring our nation to its knees. We celebrate because of their vigilance, and even as we enjoy the fruit of their actions, we cannot forget.
So let us take a moment. Hoist a silent glass. Bow our heads. We should remember. Then we should go on living.
