Memorial Day Reflection

As this Memorial Day approached my wife asked me how I would like to spend the weekend. I hadn’t really put too much thought into how to spend the three-day weekend. Working in the veteran’s space has typically kept me busy on days like Memorial Day.

As the President of the University of South Dakota Veterans club in college, I would attend and speak at the Memorial Day remembrance at the Clay County Veterans Memorial. After graduation, I would speak and/or attend different area Memorial Day events representing different veterans organizations I belonged to. Later I served on the planning committee that helped plan the Memorial Day observance at the VA Hospital in my home town of Sioux Falls SD. Four years ago, I joined the staff at Student Veterans of America and since I have had the honor of attending a few Memorial Day events planned by SVA chapters or attending different events around DC.

This year, for the first time in a long time, I had no commitments on this holiday weekend. This forced me to think of my own way to honor and remember. I am spending this weekend with my family doing the things we enjoy... going to a Nationals baseball game, picking up some produce at the farmers market and working around the house. I will also take a little time to myself to reflect on what this holiday really means to me: to remember all who sacrificed and to always live the best life I can to honor their sacrifice.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them." - John F. Kennedy