With the arrival of one of our nation’s most revered holidays, we pause to reflect upon the principles that have made our nation great. We pause to remember the true cost of freedom and to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect it. The brave men and women we honor selflessly gave of themselves to defend a way of life that we so cherish: The rights of all people to determine their future, free of oppression and fear. It is because of these heroes that we celebrate Memorial Day, commemorating the selflessness and sacrifice of those upon whose very lives rests the foundation of freedom.
In his famous address at Gettysburg in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln stated, “That from these honored dead, we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
This weekend, many of us will gather with family and friends to usher in the summer season, but it is important that we never forget why we gather and remember the brave men and women who gave so much and the families and loved ones left behind.