A Holiday of Gratitude.
On Memorial Day, we honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It is a day of family gatherings, parades and memorial services.
This year, our patriotic celebrations may be experienced differently, but the essence of the traditions can remain the same. There will be drive-by parades, streaming patriotic music, and we can still commemorate those who served with a virtual tour of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, or an online exhibit from Arlington National Cemetery, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Memorial Day may look different, but it can be the same as previous years … or … maybe this year we might consider broadening how we define those who serve. Maybe this year, first and foremost, we honor those who died serving in the U.S. military, but then also pay respects to those we lost and those who currently serve in the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I can think of no other holiday that instills the feeling of gratitude more than Memorial Day. I can think of no better time to be grateful for those who have served our country in the military, as well as the scientists, doctors and medical workers; transportation, public safety, logistical and warehouse workers; teachers and all the essential workers in manufacturing, processing and retail positions.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow” — Melody Beattie
Have a Grateful and Happy Memorial Day.
