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Monday, May 25, 2026

"The Dreams Of Men Still Young..."

"A Time To Remember..."

Today, many of us will greet one another with "Happy Memorial Day!"

But I don't use such salutations on this day, because like most veterans, I know the reason for this holiday; it was never meant to be a celebration of summer's arrival or an excuse to travel for pleasure. Memorial Day is instead a time to remember and honor our service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.

On Memorial Day, it's important to remember we are honoring our fallen. For many, this day is not a happy occasion but a solemn one.

What can I say instead of “Happy Memorial Day?"

Rather than “Happy Memorial Day,” say something like “Have a meaningful Memorial Day.” It’s also not appropriate to thank a service member or veteran for their service on this day, as it is a day for remembering and honoring their fallen brothers and sisters; those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Instead, take a moment to recognize and remember. You can even say, “Today and always, I’m remembering those owed a debt we can never repay.”

For many of us from veteran families, this day is also a time to honor all of our loved ones no longer with us. This is a long tradition in our family, I'll be visiting the cemetery today to clean and maintain my parent's graves and headstones and for the first time, my brother's who passed away last year.

Yes, later this evening when husband and I return from the cemetery, we'll have a barbeque and I'll enjoy the rest of this day away from work while remembering the sacrifices of those who have made our lives possible; the fathers like mine who marched off to war and the mothers like mine who kept the home fires burning in their absence, and the gay men and women like me who also felt the call to duty and served in silence while never able to love openly.

“Have a meaningful Memorial Day”