To Make Every Day Memorial Day

Being the parent of a Soldier, I spend a portion of every day considering the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces. I realized this is probably not normal last night when I reflected on an entire day of Memorial Day fanfare and the hoopla and thought, "This is a one time a year event for some of these people."

I know this might be hard to understand if you don't have a loved one in the military, but a lot of Military family members live Memorial Day everyday. We don't have speeches and stories and 21-gun salutes daily, but we ride the emotional roller coaster every day. We consider the horrors of war and the possibilities our loved ones face daily. We try to keep our enthusiasm for our Armed Forces in check when talking to them because we know that our loved ones feel like they are just doing their job, doing what is right, and don't understand why it's not what everyone would do. We can appreciate what our Soldiers can't see...what it costs them emotionally, what it costs their families. We can feel the overwhelming joy in every homecoming we read about. Our hearts break when we read about a Soldier that won't be coming home. We pray that the wounded warriors will heal and wonder if we could ever be as strong as their families appear to be. We are grateful for every Military family that came before us. We know the sacrifices that they have made, and we know the fear they have endured, the pain that can't be shared...except with another military family member.

Memorial day to me is not another holiday, it's not a reason to BBQ...it's a day to share what I live every day. It's a chance to show those tears of gratitude when addressing a retired Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Airman, Coast Guard...it's a chance to let my heart overflow with gratitude and not worry who sees me crying this time because 1/2 of the crowd is also walking around with tears in their eyes. It's a day to let my kids know we aren't the only ones who worry and love someone who values our country and it's freedom more than their own life.

While I don't wish the moments of being scared upon anyone...I do wish that everyone could take a moment of their day, every day, to be grateful for our Armed Forces and everything they have done for us. When you pass an American Flag flying...pause and think of what it took to keep her flying and what she stands for. When you pass a car with an Army, Marine or other bumpersticker or decal...remember that they are part of the sacrifice, whether they are the Soldier, the parent, the wife, the child...and say a "thank you" even if they can't hear you. When you see a Soldier, say "Thanks". If they are in line at the checkout, pay for their coffee, their dinner, their book...it's the least we can do for the freedoms we enjoy.