This was a great Memorial Day- our first with Baby Nate, and a relaxing & mellow one (well, as much as being new parents with a li'l man can be "relaxing" haha). We had a small cookout at home, and enjoyed family time and reflected on our many freedoms and how good life is. I bought me and Lucas some colorful "stars" and "stripes" flip flops to lounge around in, and some funky patriotic sunglasses (pictured above). We took some family photos, including the one on this page. I love this one the best because of li'l man's feet and the family theme. The red, white & blue doesn't hurt either ;)
Interestingly, while going through old email accounts, I accessed my Myspace page for the first time in at least a year, and found this old blog that I had posted on- you guessed it- Memorial Day a few years ago. I found it to be as insightful now as it was then, and decided to share it here for the rest of you. Hope you enjoy it.
Current mood:
grateful
grateful
"Freedom isn't free" is the old adage we hear when it comes to Memorial Day and fighting wars. Its the simple truth. In a time honored tradition, men and women have stood for their nation, and for their families and friends and the freedom we experience here at home, since the beginning. Memorial Day is the smallest gesture of gratitude that we can give. Our soldiers- including the very young who were technically not old enough to vote, or drink- put their lives on the line to protect our nation and the myriad freedoms that many of us take for granted. Freedoms including what books we can read, what movies we may watch, who we can marry and what careers, groups, presidents we may choose. They fight these bloody wars so that we can go to bed at night secure in the knowledge we will wake up to the same world we fell asleep in. They did so and continue to do so, not for the pittance paid them, or the glory of the profession or the excitement of traveling to the far corners- but for family and home. They march out on the battlefield, whether it be a barren desert or a lush and dangerous jungle, decades ago or this day and age. They move in ranks, our modern day warriors, and face down death with the ice of fear in their veins and the knowledge that it can all end in the time it takes between heartbeats while time marches on and steals precious weeks, months, years, from the lucky ones who survive to make it back home.
When the Memorial Day barbecues are over and the patriotic parades have passed, I hope we all remember our fallen, and those who served for us throughout the years. A final quote: "Courage is not the absence of fear, but choosing to act despite it."
God Bless America.
When the Memorial Day barbecues are over and the patriotic parades have passed, I hope we all remember our fallen, and those who served for us throughout the years. A final quote: "Courage is not the absence of fear, but choosing to act despite it."
God Bless America.
