Today is Memorial Day (observed) here in the good ol’ US of A.
      I come from a family full of military service. My husband was in the army, until he blew out his knees – oops. My father was in the Navy and served during Viet Nam. Two of his brothers, to my knowledge, were also Navy men and though my Mom’s brother did not serve, a whole slew of her cousins did. A bunch of my cousins have and are serving even now. Grandfathers and their brothers, their fathers…
      I’m proud of them all, for the danger they faced, for the strength of character it takes to put the needs of the many over their own, to sacrifice so much so that we remain the land of the free.
      It is easy to forget how much blood has been shed so that we can take our blessed modern lives for granted. It is easy to forget how many mothers cried when the news came that their little boy was not coming home. How many children aren’t able to see their mothers and fathers for months at a time, how many partners are left behind struggling to keep it all together.
      So when we’re out there grilling our chicken and crackin’ open our beers, splashing in the pool and laughing with friends and family, just spare a thought for the sacrifice millions of men and women have made for us. They’ve given months and years of their lives, they’ve had to put their loved ones aside to serve, they’ve given their lives.
      …so we can drive our imported cars and eat ourselves silly, bitch about our cell phone bills and spend ridiculous amounts of money of insanely useless, indulgent, idiotic and impractical junk the third-world manufacturing world can create.
      Wait… what what my point?
      Oh yeah.
      This country isn’t perfect. There are plenty of problems. Plenty. And a lot of things need to change.
      But the men and women who have served deserve our respect. They made a decision that most of us could not… and today, we should take a moment and honor their sacrifice.

Note: Image is “American Flag” by Emitea from SXC.hu