When I leave my home in the morning and when I return home to Van Meter in the evening, I drive down Veterans Memorial Drive – right by the Iowa Veterans Cemetery. Seeing the American flag waving on top of the hill is a powerful reminder. A reminder of what the ultimate sacrifice truly means.
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the United States of America and the cause of Freedom.
On the last Monday in May, we honor those who have fallen in service of this great country. Truly – we honor this incredible sacrifice every day, but Memorial Day is a specific time for us to stop what we are doing to pause, reflect and remember those who have given their lives so we may enjoy the freedoms and liberties we hold dear. That debt is one that every American should remember, especially on this day, because it is the price of freedom.
The tremendous sacrifice made by our veterans and their families is a gratitude we can never fully repay, but we must try. We must do our part. Whether it’s taking dinner to your neighbor who has a loved one deployed abroad, or if that means going to your local VFW or American Legion to volunteer – we must do our part. Find an organization you like and volunteer your time, so that our homeless veterans do not go without food and shelter.
At each opportunity we must stand with our nation’s veterans. They have stood for us – and they will again. In times of crisis, in times of need, we are blessed in the United States of America to have a military that is second to none. We should all be proud and incredibly thankful to all those who have laid down their lives in defense of this nation and all it stands for. To those who have put on the uniform and taken the oath, thank you. Your sacrifice and your service will never go unnoticed or be forgotten.
