MEMORIAL DAY IS ABOUT REMEMBERING SACRIFICES
By Johnny Kincaid
MAY 27, 2024
For some people, Memorial Day is the kick-off of summer. It is a casual day off from work to grill, go boating on the river, or chill out with family and friends. But Memorial day is so much more significant.
Today is about remembering sacrifice. Over one million lives have been sacrificed in war to protect our freedoms which we often take for granted. Let’s remember the individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice. Think about it—behind every American flag and every somber military ceremony, there’s a story. Stories about everyday regular people who stepped up when their country needed them most. They were farmers and bankers, college graduates and high school grads and dropouts, rich and poor, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, moms and dads. They deferred their future dreams to answer the call of duty and some laid down their lives to protect our freedom.
Memorial Day reminds us that freedom isn’t free. It comes with a price tag, and that price is pretty steep. It’s paid in blood on battlefields far from home, in places most of us can’t even pronounce. It’s paid by people who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy our freedom.
But Memorial Day isn’t about mourning. It’s about paying gratitude and respecting our falling comrades. It’s about saying thank you to those who made the altar sacrifice for America. It’s about recognizing and paying tribute to the families of those who have given their liver to America.
So, as we enjoy the day with our friends and family on Memorial Day, let’s take a moment to remember why we celebrate Memorial Day.
Let’s think and talk about the courage, valor, and dedication of those who came before us. Let’s teach our kids about what this day means so they understand the sacrifices that were made.
And let’s not stop there. Let’s honor our fallen heroes by living up to the values they fought for. Let’s stand up for liberty, equality, and justice, just like they did. Let’s make sure their sacrifices weren’t in vain.
We need to teach these values to our children and grandchildren. President Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
I love this country, and for me, Memorial Day is the start of six weeks of remembering and celebrating the things that make this a great nation. Flag Day is on the way to honor the symbol of America. That is followed by Independence Day, which remembers the founding of a free and independent nation.
Over the next several weeks, Johnny Kincaid will publish in Podcast stories of great patriots and a great nation.
May God continue to bless America and our troops!
