Remembering all who gave their lives for their country, and for the ideals for which this nation stands.
This sentence from the Declaration of Independence best represents those ideals for me:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Will we ever completely live up to the high standard that our forefathers proclaimed? Given the imperfect nature of human beings, we probably won’t, but what matters most is that we always strive to realize them.
What’s the most effective way to accomplish that?
Service.
Service is how we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice while doing our part to expand the cause of liberty and justice for all. There is room for everyone to participate in this great experiment that we call democracy.
Make this your Memorial Day promise: that you will identify one way that you can serve the greater good to advance the possibility that the United States of America represents.
May all who have died rest in peace and rise in glory.