05/25/2026
Memorial Day asks something simple from us… to remember. Not in some abstract way, and not as a footnote to a long weekend, but deliberately and with intention. This day is set aside to honor those who gave their lives in service to our nation. Men and women who believed so deeply in something greater than themselves that they were willing to give everything for it. They are not symbols or statistics; they were sons and daughters, spouses, parents, friends, and neighbors.
Over the years, I’ve tried to remind us that remembrance is most powerful when it becomes personal. It might come through a quiet visit to a cemetery, the sight of a simple red poppy, a familiar song that stirs emotion, or a story about someone who never came home. In those moments, the distance between history and the present collapses, and we’re reminded that the freedoms we enjoy were secured at an extraordinary human cost.
So this weekend, wherever you are and however you mark the day, I encourage you to pause. Take a moment of silence. Recite a prayer. Say a name out loud if you know one. Reflect not only on what was lost, but on the responsibility we all share to live in a way that honors that sacrifice. Remembering is not passive… It’s something we actively carry forward, ensuring that those who gave all are never forgotten.
