I don’t know whether it’s just in the air or if there’s a mutual reflection on our past losses. But whatever it is, I can’t help but notice a common thread of consciousness through many people I know and love. And coincidentally, Memorial Day is upon us and enables a reason to preempt “New Music Monday” with an excerpt about reflecting on loss and the sacrifice of others.

Memorial Day is traditionally observed in remembrance of our military loyalists who protect and serve our freedoms so valiantly sought for by our founding fathers. The military infrastructure of our nation is strong source of identity and the brand equity of the United States. That being said, I’d go far enough to say that not one of us in this nation doesn’t know someone who has served our country, possibly shed blood for our people, or passed on due to their vigilance in protecting our way of life.

Today is an important day to salute back to the great members of our military who give us what we have here today. Simply, you get to complain bout your government and bitch about state immigration laws because we had visionaries and servicemen who knew freedoms such as free thought and speech were unalienable rights as a human. For that very ubiquitous element of the United States that many of us routinely take for granted, we should be deeply and sincerely thankful. We are the fortunate ones.

Many of our countrymen have been lost along the way to developing and preserving our freedoms. We owe them our lives and our prayers. To those that protect us today, we owe them our unconditional support and unwavering belief despite personal or public opinion on the necessity of waging war abroad. So an element of this post is to give sincerest thanks to those that protect the borders of freedom both in a military campaign and in our classrooms. Freedom as we know it is always being attacked in the most unexpected of areas. I personally extend my gratitude to those family members and brothers out there that have protected my freedoms. My brother-in-law, my father-in-law, my God-father, and my Uncle are just a small number of examples who have ‘taken one for the team.’

We should all be grateful for our nation despite the unfortunate nuances and issues it currently contains. Just like our great nation, none of us are without fault. However, we, and our country, strive to do our best following our philosophical doctrines and moral compasses to make the right decisions.

But a more contemporary extension of Memorial Day is to that of reflection on our lost loved ones. I think we all can relate to this. And as I mentioned above, I can’t help but notice a common thread among my family and friends. On more than one occasion in the last few days, family and friends, and myself for that matter, have had conversations, thoughts, feelings about, or of, our lost loved ones.
I can honestly say that I saw four blue Subarus in one day. If that isn’t a sign of my brother, I don’t know what is. Another example is that of the great news my wife has experienced in regard to her health. Yet, another example in the memories of her strong and dedicated mother who we lost. And along those same lines, my father, normally stoic and the interminable tough guy, was openly emotionally in his comments about wishing that he could have had more time to know my wife’s mother better before we lost her. My cousin’s wife also lost her brother to terminal illness. She too has been openly reflecting on that loss and shared enveloping thoughts and emotion with my wife. The last few days, I’ve thought of my aunt and cousins in Sacramento with the days leading up to Memorial Day. My little second-cousin will be getting married soon and I’ve at long lengths how much my uncle, her grandfather and an Airforce serviceman, is looking down and guiding her along the way as she marries her sweetheart who too, is a serviceman. These are five strong examples of the legacy of remembrance in which Memorial Day is also suited.

And while we show support for our current and lost serviceman and women, we also shed a tear for those important souls in our life which we lost along the way that were able to enjoy the freedoms provided by our service people. Our lost loved ones were never able to live out the entire dream of freedom that we hoped they would. However, they each individually and collectively shaped our consciousness and changed and improved our views of existing and living in here under the flag of our great nation.

Today is a great day to reflect on both; our nation and its loyal and dedicated servicemen have provided a place of existence that we are sheltered from harm and can live in peace. We are very fortunate to have passionate men and women who unconditionally have paid the greatest cost to protect that very freedom we live. We are the fortunate ones. And moreover, we have been emotionally scarred by those we have lost along the journey of life. Most were taken too soon and before what we perceived to be an approved timeline. These losses left marks on us like scars. But the scars are the witnesses of pleasant and peaceful memories of loved ones who changed us forever.

On a day like Memorial Day in the United States, I find that we all should dedicate one moment to give thanks for what we have in our great lives. People who love us that we know and people who love us that we don’t know. Our loved ones and our unconditional servicemen and women have dedicated their lives to the love and passion of our lives.

Happy Memorial Day to all of you and much respect to our lost loved ones.