Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day, and I'm at Fido sipping on chocolat chaud with whipped cream and marshmallows, taking the holiday pretty easy (even though I'm technically still working). I listened to the radio this morning on my way to spin class, and I laughed aloud when the announcer suggested that we commercialize Memorial Day even more than Christmas and Easter. "You rarely hear the words 'Memorial Day' without the word 'sale,'" he said. Such a curious and false idea. I sure wish people stopped sending me Memorial Day baskets and started supporting the troops instead. I hate when we don't get the Memorial Day tree up in time for jolly old Sgt. Nicholas to come down the chimney. So funny that he said that . . .

I agree, however, that we hardly even reflect at all about soldiers of yore and today who deserve to be memorialized. Instead we celebrate a work-free day at the beginning of the summer and pray that the sky doesn't release a downpour, preventing our poolside grilling with family and friends. So today I pause to remember fallen soldiers and their bravery and commitment. And I pray for all of the families who wait for their soldiers to come home, hoping to never have to remember them on this day. I pray for the families who, despite their hopes, will face a very different, very difficult Memorial Day next year.

And I pray for peace.