Brenau University will be closed on Monday, May 26, to mark Memorial Day.
Before you pack up for picnics and holiday get-aways, I ask you to take a moment to reflect upon the meaning of Memorial Day beyond the traditional start of summer or a three-day weekend.
The United States celebrates two holidays each year dedicated to our military: Veterans Day, which honors all who have served our country, and Memorial Day, which is dedicated to remembering those who have given their lives in military service.
The last Monday in May officially became designated as Memorial Day by Congressional action in 1968. In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act additionally urged Americans to observe a minute of silence at 3 p.m. each Memorial Day. According to the U.S. Census, some 1.4 million people have died in military service since the Revolutionary War. If we observed one minute of silence for each person, it would take more than two and a half years.
The sacrifices for our nation have been great, and those family members left behind feel it keenly on missed birthdays, anniversaries and holidays.
As President Franklin D. Roosevelt said: “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.”
The Brenau Ideal urges us “To be prepared for service.” As we mark Memorial Day, remember those who have paid the ultimate price in service to their nation by seeking out opportunities to pay back that service this weekend and throughout the year.
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