WING TIPS

There is a buzz in the air, and the hum is getting louder! People are emerging from both their winter hibernation and the Covid-19 lockdown. The noise is reaching a crescendo on this 3-day Memorial Day weekend. I can't tell if the buzzing and the humming are the cicadas who have emerged after their 17-year hiatus or folks running around to participate in activities that many have forgone for over a year. 

Some of my friends are going to the beach, others are having barbecues, and one of my airline pilot buddies tells me the planes are all full. Understandably, most of us are yearning to get back to some semblance of normalcy after the unprecedented disruption in our lives.

The True Reason

Yet, as we take advantage of the vaccines and observe this unofficial beginning of summer, let's not forget what the Memorial Day celebration is about. It is to remember and honor the men and women in uniform who died in service to our country.

My dad and several of my uncles were veterans who fought in two wars, and I am a veteran who also served during wartime. We all survived. We all had close friends who didn't. I remember the shock and disbelief of learning that someone I knew would not be coming home to their families. Given my jolt, I couldn't imagine the trauma a close loved one would feel. I am so blessed that I never had to experience that grief myself. 

So, as many of us excitedly get out and enjoy this long-coming transition back to openness in our lives, let's also pause and observe the national moment of remembrance at 3:00 pm local on Monday. This small gesture will honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and the families who have had to experience such an unspeakable loss.

A QUOTE TO CONSIDER!

"May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn't free."

Sgt. Major Bill Paxton, USMC