Happy Memorial Day

I wanted to take a short day to pay homage to the holiday. I have always looked at the day as more of a celebration. And with the darker weather, I wanted to observe the somber side of the day. I always remember parades in the high school band, cookouts for the first day of summer, and in recent years with a huge outing at Valleyfair. Rarely do I think of it in terms of honoring the service members who gave their lives over many years now.

Even in that regard, my connections with the armed forces have been minimal. I currently have a niece in ROTC that is spending her summer adventures in "jump school." My brother Jesse is in the border patrol and has some scary contacts in recovery efforts on the Mexican border. A distant cousin that worked base duty in Germany and met a wife, a USO performer, and other friends that were lifers in the Air Force. But no one that ever really made huge sacrifices.

Sort of like the disconnect with Santa Clause and the true meaning of Christmas, I have the same affinity with Memorial Day. So for a few hours I will ponder the real significance of the holiday. Home of the Brave.