When the sun is shining down a beautiful 72 degrees like it is today and birds are trilling outside my window it can be easy to forget what we’re really commemorating this Memorial Day.
But the fact is, if I have the luxury of sitting here safely at my computer, posting pretty much whatever I have on my mind to say, and knowing that in the fall I’ll be casting an election vote for someone without the fear of being dragged out into the street and shot in retaliation, it’s in large part because throughout the lifespan of this country a lot of people have put their lives and health on the line serving in the U.S. military.
(It’s also because the founding fathers were incredibly smart in how they set the whole country up to begin with – but that’s another story.)
All of us who live in this country reap the benefits, daily, of someone else’s sacrifice. So regardless of your political stance, please consider taking some time to honor veterans this Memorial Day.
I’ll be honest – the past few years I’ve found ‘better’ things to do. But this year I’m reminding myself that, basically, someone died so that I would have the right to skip their memorial service. Which is simply the truth, and puts the BBQ I could be passing up in a whole different light.
Seattle and Puget Sound Area Memorial Day Events for 2008
Here’s a list of Puget Sound Memorial Day events that Mike Gilbert at the News Tribune put together:
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/military/2008/05/21/memorial_day_observances
The one in Seattle is at 1:30 pm at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 11111 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle.
