
Admittedly, I didn’t always appreciate Memorial Day the way I do today.
When I was younger, Memorial Day mostly meant summer was finally here. Long weekends. Cookouts. Time outside. An extra day off that felt like the unofficial kickoff to sunshine season.
And while I always appreciated the break, I didn’t spend much time truly reflecting on why we had the long weekend in the first place.
Maybe it’s age. Maybe it’s perspective. Maybe it’s simply learning that life becomes more meaningful when we pause long enough to understand the sacrifices behind the freedoms we often take for granted.
But this year feels different.
My son will soon be leaving for basic training, and suddenly this holiday carries a weight and meaning I don’t think I fully understood before.
There’s a different kind of appreciation that comes when someone you love chooses a path of service. It gives you a deeper respect not only for those who serve, but for the families who stand behind them, support them, pray for them, and carry the quiet emotional weight that comes with loving someone willing to sacrifice for something bigger than themselves.
And while Memorial Day is specifically about honoring those who gave their lives in service to our country, having my son prepare for this next chapter has made me reflect more deeply on the courage, commitment, and sacrifice connected to military service as a whole.
It’s humbling.
Because while many of us spend the weekend making memories with family and friends, there are also families spending the day remembering someone who never came home. Someone who gave everything.
And I think maturity teaches us something important: gratitude and enjoyment can co-exist.
You can enjoy the sunshine, the cookout, the laughter, and the extra time with people you love while still holding space for reflection, respect, and remembrance.
Maybe that’s what Memorial Day is really about.
Not guilt for enjoying life, but appreciation for the people who made that life possible.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how easy it is to rush through holidays without truly understanding them. We move fast. We hustle. We check the boxes. But sometimes the most meaningful thing we can do is slow down long enough to remember.
To reflect.
To appreciate.
To honor.
So this Memorial Day, I hope we all take a quiet moment to think beyond the long weekend.
To remember the sacrifice behind the freedom.
To honor the lives given in service to this country.
And to carry a little more gratitude with us moving forward.
If you are a service member, have a loved one serving, or are honoring someone who never made it home, please know your courage and sacrifice are deeply respected and never forgotten.
Denise xo










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