Memorial Day 2008 - UPDATED!

Happy Memorial Day everyone. I hope you all had the chance to spend some time with people you love today. Duane and his family are barbecuing with relatives today, and my family just walked in the door from a six day trip to Chicago to visit family.

Some folks went to parades today, some brought flowers to the cemetery to decorate graves of people you have lost, and some drank cold beer and ate pork ribs. Whatever you did today, I hope all of you will take a couple of minutes to remember the fallen soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who have given their lives in the service of this nation. Take a moment to think about the Americans who are serving around the world today while the rest of us were at the lake eating hot dogs and cole slaw.

It doesn’t matter who you are, or what your political beliefs are. From the most liberal democrat to the most conservative republican, we all owe the men and women of our military a debt of gratitude for protecting our right to live in a country where we can debate our political views and practice our beliefs freely, without fear of being thrown in jail or killed.

Here in America, we have something special, and it didn’t happen by accident. It happened because so many brave people in our history bought and paid for our freedom with blood, tears, and even their lives. So again, just take a moment - take 30 seconds to think about the country you live in, and why it is the way it is. And don’t be afraid to feel a little pride.

Update:

Here are a few pics from today’s ceremony in my hometown:

Dear Lord, lest I continue in my complacent ways, help me to remember that someone died for me today. And if there be war, help me to remember to ask and to answer “am I worth dying for?”
~ Eleanor Roosevelt