24 May Memorial Day: Remembering Together

Most of us know Memorial Day weekend as a time to ‘kick off’ the unofficial start to summer with barbecues, beach days, bike rides, and boat rides.  We celebrate with lots of food, fun, and festivities. But what is Memorial Day? Do we know what we are actually celebrating?

Many people are easily confused by the holidays we have in the U.S. honoring military service members. So let’s take a moment to break those down here:

• There’s a day for those who have served = Veterans Day
• There’s a day for those who are currently serving = Armed Forces Day
• And there’s a day for those who died in service = Memorial Day

Take a moment now to share this with a friend or loved one. Let’s remind ourselves why we have this ‘extra day off’ this weekend.  It’s a time for us to remember the many freedoms we enjoy because of a brave few who dedicated their lives to our country and who died too soon from wounds seen and unseen.

This is an opportunity to reflect on gratitude – that word and concept that is so important when it comes to wellbeing. Memorial Day demonstrates how we as a nation honor the people who pledged their lives to protect us.  With this in mind, remember not just the lost heroes, but also the families they left behind. Parents, grandparents spouses, fiancés, children, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and entire family units have been permanently changed by a knock on the door. For these many folks, this holiday – and every other – presents an absence of a precious loved one and a reminder of their hero’s legacy.

In the name of gratitude and wellbeing for all, let’s toast to this Memorial Day with tribute, pride, and festivity for the families of the fallen and the legacies of our fallen heroes.

Cheers.

Written By Jenna Kohler, MA, CHC, Wellness Ambassador