Memorial Day weekend always feels like a turning point in the year. While the weather doesn’t always cooperate in the Northeast, it is the unofficial start of summer. It’s a time to fire up the grill and spend time with family and friends. The end of the school year has either arrived already or is very close. Even if the summer weather hasn’t quite arrived yet, we know it is coming soon and things start to slow down a little bit after Memorial Day weekend.

Memorial Day is meant to be something more than the start of summer. It’s a day to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Our freedom to build a career and raise a family in the best country in the world was afforded to us by these men and women. Their stories may not be known to us personally, but their impact shows up in our lives every single day.  

In our work, we spend a lot of time focused on the future. Memorial Day is a reminder that we shouldn’t take that for granted. We are able to plan for our future because of these men and women who were willing to sacrifice theirs for our country. While we’re having a good time with family and friends this weekend even if the weather isn’t the greatest, we should take a step back and be grateful that we have the opportunity to do it. Most importantly, we should remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Happy Memorial Day!