Randy Brown
Next Monday, Americans will celebrate Memorial Day. Truly, this is a day in which we remember and honor our veterans who paid the ultimate price; those that made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the many freedoms we ALL enjoy as citizens of this great and mighty nation. No matter what anyone says, we should never doubt that we are a GREAT and MIGHTY nation!
Furthermore, the United States of America should NEVER have apologies rendered in its defense. There are NO apologies needed on any soil (foreign or domestic) for our nation being the GREAT and MIGHTY nation that it is! Throughout it’s rich and storied history, America has long defended itself, as well as many other nations. We are a PROUD nation and we are a FREE nation. And, to those whom we honor and remember each and every Memorial Day, we owe an unmeasurable and priceless debt that can NEVER be repaid.
Memorial Day is a day that we mourn as a nation. Many people do not realize this. During my youth, I could have been counted in this group. Back then, I thought of Memorial Day more as a celebration instead of a day of remembrance and mourning. Yes, there is most definitely much to celebrate. However, remembrance, mourning and recognition should readily stand first and foremost in all of our hearts
However, shall we never forget the real reason for Memorial Day! There is absolutely no question about it and this matter shall never be up for debate, America is the greatest nation in the world, the greatest nation the world has ever known! And, Memorial Day is the day that we remember those who put down their own lives to help make it that way!
For 245 years, the survival of our country has depended upon those who are willing to sacrifice their own lives in order to protect our freedoms, our way of life. The words divine and providence are so often used together in defining this great nation of ours. I use the word “ours” with heavy intent. This nation is ours. We should never permit any one individual or group of individuals to take our nation away from us.This nation belongs to us ALL!
With that being said, we ALL have rights. Whether or not we like what someone has to say or the cause for which they stand, they have rights. In America, they have the freedom and the right to say it, they have the freedom to stand for it. However, we ALL have that freedom. Not just a select/elite few of us who are trying to persuade and drive the political debate and dialog in a particular direction.
I love the word freedom. In America, we are FREE! Free to speak what we think and feel, free to worship when and where we choose, free to succeed with hard work, free to associate and to work where we choose and so much more. These freedoms are a gift. A divine and precious gift from God and once again, a gift afforded us by those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
We should never lose sight of the fact that we have to work hard in order to succeed in striving for both the many pleasures and the way of life that we desire. None of us should just expect ANYTHING to simply be given to us. After all, hard work and sacrifice in combination with the freedoms mentioned above (and those who died for the many freedoms we enjoy) make our country what it is. These are the things that make our nation GREAT and set us apart from all other nations!!
Traditionally, Memorial Day marks the beginning of Summer. There is grilling, swimming vacation travel and more soon to come for so many people. And, I always look forward to the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 auto races on Memorial Day weekend! But again, there is so much more to Memorial Day than this. There are several opportunities to attend a local remembrance ceremony. So if you and your family have an opportunity, please take part in one of the many Memorial Day ceremonies that will take place in our area. And, have a GREAT Memorial Day in remembering those who paid the ultimate price so that we can live our lives in freedom as a part of this GREAT and MIGHTY nation!
