Memorial Day, Honoring The Heroes That Didn't Make It Home And Remembering Those That Are The Best Of America.

People come and go in life. It's not without suffering and pain but rather just a part of human existence. As summer months slowly roll in and warmer weather is upon us, my thoughts turn to yet another season of barbeques, time with family, hanging out in the pool, fireworks, and remembering all of those that made it possible for us to enjoy these treasured events. While I was never one of those that I speak of, I learned to hold them in the highest of regards as they were all heroes. Each and every one of them that ever signed on the dotted line. Each and every one of the men and women that defend our country, sacrificing that time with their loved ones, so that we can enjoy ours. They are an impressive bunch.

From the modern-day heroes that hunted down and eliminated Osama Bin Laden to the heroes of old, we must never forget what they stand for, us. Not one of them chooses self over the country, self over family, or self over their community. Rather, these men and women become something more, a part of something bigger than themselves. They know that it's oftentimes a high-risk career choice and they enter for different reasons. They all have one thing in common, they've agreed to be sent into harm's way to protect America.

Whether they're in a plane and flying fighter missions, or on the ground in the battle, or in the water protecting our shores, the men and women of the armed forces are guaranteed a minimum of four years of their lives will be upended. They learn vital skills that will help them in the world, but at the same time, they are learning one skill that nobody should have to know and be able to do well, the skill to end a life. Soldiers provide our country with security and while many people don't always agree with what's happening, respect for those that are following the orders of their commanders is something that we all should show. Politics aside, we must always remember why they signed up, to protect America, the America we all hope someday to become, from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

From the battlefields in Afghanistan to the streets of the United States during the riots and the assault on the capital, it's always been our neighbors, our friends, and our loved ones that protect us. They do so with honor, even though they are seldom honored by society. They do so with dignity, even though their treatment has often been an assault on their dignity, and they do so with precision because that is what they were trained to do. All of this, they do so that you can enjoy all the perks of being an American, including, at times, protesting the very people that give you the right to protest.

We must remember to show our appreciation for the men and women in uniform. It's what America does, that is to say, the real America. This is why we celebrate Memorial Day. While it's unclear when the tradition started, some records show the earliest commemorations were organized by groups of formerly enslaved people after the end of the Civil War. Less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865 the first celebrations were held to honor the fallen from the war. It wasn't until 1966, during the Vietnam War that the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the birthplace of Memorial Day. The birth of this holiday was to honor those that fought a long and bloody war that ended one of the darkest times and most shameful periods in American history, no matter where it originated.

The differences between the earliest memorial days and today are easy to see. Much like those that were early on, we honor fallen troops who made the greatest sacrifices for our freedom. Today our troops don't fall in great numbers because technology has come a long way, but we still honor them. To all of our men and women, we want you to make it home to your families and friends, so we pray for your safety in this trying world we live in, that you keep us safe from.

Each Memorial Day is a special day for me because I remember my father on Memorial Day. As a member of the Vietnam era veterans, my dad served proudly in the United States Army. It made him the man he was, the man I always knew. No matter how hard life became, he never gave in or gave up. My dad always seemed like a quiet soul, even though he had his demons from his time serving the country. In the end, my dad was a fighter and he proved that to me as he fought cancer twice. Cancer, like in wars, is something that many battles are won but the war rages on. My dad won his battle but ultimately lost the war. He served his country, was good to his family, and left us eleven years ago. On Memorial Day, of all the heroes I recognize in the world, my ex-Army Sargent of a father, is the one I think of most. He may not have died in battle or made the ultimate of sacrifices, but he was and always will be one of the best people I've ever known.

So, remember what today, Memorial Day is all about. As we grill out with our family and friends, as we celebrate the small freedoms we have, enjoying our lives the way Americans always have, remember that we can do this because of those men and women that serve. Always, not just today, remember those that gave everything, those that made the ultimate of sacrifices.

If not for them, there is no telling who would keep the real enemies from ruining what we call freedom.