Memorial Day 2025

Summer is here. What seems like a hundred years ago in my youth Memorial Day was the unofficial start of Summer. My Dad would have the new parking pass for the Rhode Island State Beaches already on his car, the cooler would be cleaned out from the winter of non-use, and we would make sure our beach towels were ready to go. Anything we needed we would go to the local Benny's store and get it.

Was it a simpler time? For every 10 year old - it is always a simpler time.

Now decades later Memorial Day is still the start of Summer for me. Dad is gone. Benny's is gone. And the meaning of Memorial Day has grown.

As a USAF Veteran, T.C., Art, Tim & Keith are the faces I see. My daughter (USMC Veteran) sees the faces of Ras & Ski. I imagine everyone who has worn the uniform remembers those who didn't make it through it all. Prior to me it was generations of Veterans that I met that fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam that remember. After my time in uniform was a generation of our best that fought in OIF and OEF that remember their friends lives taken way too soon.

And here I am on the edge of Summer, ready to enjoy Memorial Day Weekend. And the words I wrote years ago are still true to me today.

"In the future my grandchildren may serve. And I would bet they will remember faces. People have served in uniform for this country since before it was a country. And people have died in uniform for this country before it was a country.

And that is the "Price of Freedom."

Do I wish it wasn't so? Of course. Do I wake up everyday thankful I live in the greatest country ever to exist on this planet. Of course I do.

So enjoy the weekend. It's been paid for."