Memorial Day is an important holiday and underneath the BBQ’s and crowded beaches it is something much heavier.

Memorial Day was created to honor military members who died serving this country. Originally called “Decoration Day,” it started after the Civil War when families would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. And here’s an interesting fact — the Civil War claimed more American lives than World War I and World War II combined.

More than 1.1 million Americans have died in U.S. wars throughout history. That number is so massive it almost stops feeling real — until you remember every single one of those people had a name, a family, a favorite food, someone who loved them, and people who missed them after they were gone.

It is easy for all of us — me included — to take ordinary freedoms for granted. But this is a day to remember all of those we fought and died for our country. War is ugly. Loss is ugly. Grief changes families forever.

But sacrifice deserves respect.

Freedom has a cost.
And other people paid it.

So yes — enjoy the long weekend.
Go to the beach.
Eat too much.
Take the trip.
Laugh with your people.
Life is supposed to be lived.

But maybe somewhere between the hamburgers, sunscreen, and chaos at Costco … take a minute to remember why this holiday exists in the first place.

Because somebody else never got the chance to grow older, sit at that BBQ, retire, spoil their grandkids, or complain about gas prices on Facebook.

And that’s really what Memorial Day is about.