Memorial Day Weekend

It's Friday evening before a three-day Memorial Day Weekend. Saturday, tomorrow, is also "Your Day without Shoes" promoting the benefits of going barefoot. I'm hoping to be able to go out Saturday, but that will depend on the weather and timing of possible rain. I posted tomorrow's event on my Facebook profile, we'll see if I get strange, or any, reaction to it.

Me with my paternal grandparents in 2010.

This Monday is Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer, and a weekend when many families go camping. I wonder how many people actually remember the reason for the holiday though? My paternal grandfather served in Korea, but he talks very little about it. If I had been able, I often think I would have joined the Air Force, or some other military branch, after high school. That was not the case though, so I try to remember those that have gone in my place.

I am definitely guilty of going through Memorial Day without giving a thought to the reason we celebrate it. It's often a day I'll go train watching or spend in front of my computer playing games. Veterans like my grandfather came home to a country that did not truly appreciate their service and often just went home and were possibly greeted by their spouse. He at least didn't have the trouble of Vietnam soldiers of getting spit on and called bad names, but it was still very different than today's returning soldiers.

May we all truly remember the cause for celebration this coming Monday. As we enjoy our freedom to do as we please, let's remember how we have that freedom and those who have, and are, fought for it.