Memorial Day

Once a year everyone gets all excited about the rising temperatures, the longer days, and the thoughts of heading to the lake for time with friends around grilled burgers and cold beers. It's the unofficial 1st day of summer; Memorial Day weekend. However, for those of us who carry the pain and loss of what the holiday was created to honor, it is not about joys, and laughs, and kicking off a new season. It is about rememberance. It is about honoring those who have given everything so that we can enjoy the freedoms afforded us. It is about the blood shed for this country on the battlefields. We pause this day to feel the pain and loss of our loved one, and the countless others, all over again. We pray harder for those still in the midst of fighting for our country. We shed tears for those we know will never come home. It's difficult for someone who has not experienced this first hand to fully appreciate the true meaning of it all. They are lucky. I envy them. As I celebrate this weekend without my own soldier at home, I am thankful to be surrounded by family. His family. Those who, if he were to ever join those we honor this weekend, would feel the pain just as deep as I would. While they don't share the day to day reality of my life as a military spouse, they do share the love for my soldier. I am blessed to be here with them. I encourage anyone who is fortunate enough to have never lost a loved one in battle to take just moment this weekend, put down the burger, turn off the tunes, raise your cold drink and toast those who lay under our feet in eternal rest having given their life for you. Please remember those who are still fighting and still in harms way for your freedom. God bless all of them, and bring them home safe. Happy Memorial Day.