05/25/2026
Joining the military takes a special kind of person. One who believes that they can make a difference not only in their backyards but on a global scale. Giving what they have mentally and physically to something much larger than themselves. These men and women should always be honored and appreciated by those of us who reap the rewards of their service. Thanking service men should be a regular part of anyone's day. Memorial day is an acknowledgment to fallen servicemen and those who love them.
When a member of our military is killed it is a loss that ripples through the future of this country. Every person who has met this person, every person who has prayed for their safe return, those who directed their choices in battle and those who stood with them; forever changed by this loss. Each death leaves behind a family devastated. Parents without children, children without parent, husbands and wives holding it together, siblings lost in their own minds, and other relatives have to learn how to live without them. The future changed in ways unimaginable.
Though there are many Americans that grieve daily for their loss and no one can take that pain from their hearts and minds on Memorial Day we collectively grieve as one nation. We remember those lost with pride and gratitude. We remind ourselves that those left behind still live with that sacrifice daily and we remember that not everyone has a heartfelt teary video of their loved ones returning home.
Our gatherings for Memorial day are a reminder that our friends, family, and communities do not take this loss for granted, that we acknowledge what has been given to us all; so we may go on living how we choose. It is a day to stand with our fellow Americans regardless of our differences and unite in the sentiment that no one is left behind but rather they are carried in the minds and hearts of us all.
I know we will all take time to acknowledge the day. We will take a moment to teach our children the importance of this day. We will.mourn for those lost with love, and pray for those who live with that loss. I will not be able to attend but we are together in our appreciation always, especially for Memorial Day as One.