Livin' in America & Memorial Day.....


Last evening the wife and I went to a local food and entertainment festival called A Taste of Summer. It is held on the Flats East Bank in my town. That is a riverfront area that has been developed with new restaurants, clubs, apartments, and a beautiful boardwalk by the river. (Someday there will even be a Margaritaville opened.) There were food trucks, live music, and lots of people.

Just chillin' in the Flats.
People of all types. Rich people had their boats tied up along the boardwalk. Actually that might have been easier than finding a place to park a car. But everybody was having a great time. Good weather, good food, good drink. A great way to celebrate Memorial Day weekend.

Memorial Day means different things to different people. It's the unofficial start to summer. This is also the weekend for the Indianapolis 500. That spectacle draws hundreds of thousands of people to watch state-of-the-art race cars travel 500 miles in about 2 1/2 hours. There are festivals all over the country.

There are also parades. I remember when I was in the high school band, the last event of the year was the Memorial Day parade we would march in. The parades feature politicians, old cars, local civic groups, and usually a group of old men. The veterans marching with a flag. Then it hits you.

All of us are able to enjoy this weekend because, for hundreds of years now, kids have decided to represent us in battle. To fight for our rights, our families, and our way of life. They chose to sacrifice their life for me and you. There's no way we can thank them enough. Don't take it for granted.

Fallen loved ones in Arlington Cemetery.
I don't think there is any celebration going on in Syria, North or South Korea, or even Great Britain this weekend. Terrorists make our daily lives more difficult, but they don't change it. They don't realize that their murderous acts accomplish nothing.

Once I was able to visit Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. It was stunning. Endless rows of graves for our military. Many were kids that never had a chance to grow old  and raise families. I thank them all.

Whenever I hear taps played for a soldier, or a fallen first responder, I get choked up. Those people chose to take a stand. Because of them we can enjoy festivals, cook outs and parades.

God bless them, and God bless the USA.


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