Memorial Day

This Memorial day, lets not forget the real reason we "celebrate" this holiday. It is a day that we as American's set aside to remember those who have died for the freedoms that we enjoy. America has endured every struggle that has faced her because brave men and women stood up when she called, and when necessary offered a great sacrifice, their lives. 

The greatest testament of loyalty to any nation, is that it's citizens would be willing to give their lives for it. I think we can learn something from those men and women who have gone before us, and believed in America so much that they would give the ultimate sacrifice. They are true heroes. True champions, and defenders of the Constitution. The men and women who serve in the military unselfishly do what is asked of them, and they do an impressive job. That yearning to defend something so great is passed from generation to generation, and this generation has definitely risen up to meet the challenges of today, to give of themselves for a greater purpose. I think Abraham Lincoln says it best in his Gettysburg address:

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

If you see a veteran today, or any other day, say a simple "thank you," and mean it. Really, truly mean it.