An INOV8 Memorial Day: Somber with a Dose of Fun

Laura Youngblood, widow of U.S. Navy Petty Officer Travis L. Youngblood, touches his gravestone while visiting his grave in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery during the Memorial Day weekend in Arlington, Virginia, May 24, 2009. Youngblood died of wounds received in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in July of 2005 in Iraq. (REUTERS/Larry Downing)

My dad served in Vietnam. My grandfather and great uncle served in WWII.

Both my great-great grandfathers served in the War of Northern Aggression (on opposite sides, even). My cousin served in the Persian Gulf War, Bosnian conflict and in various covert operations as a member of Army Special Forces.

My friend Greg served two tours in Iraq and is preparing to go back later this summer.

Thankfully, none of them had to make the ultimate sacrifice while in the call of duty.

We all have connections to the military. Yet inevitably, we all seem to take for granted the true, somber nature of Memorial Day.

This weekend, as many of us enjoy a three-day holiday weekend and do so in many innovative ways, let’s welcome in the unofficial start of summer and have fun with family and friends. By all means.

But let’s make the time on Monday to remember those whose ultimate sacrifices afford us the opportunity to do it.

The photo above was lifted from a slideshow posted for Memorial Day last year on Boston.com’s The Big Picture. It’s very much worth a click. It includes some touching — even haunting — Memorial Day images.

(INOV8 doesn’t cry. But Hoosiers, our kids’ baby photos, the Hogs’ loss to Larry Bird in the 1979 Final 4, and images of soldiers’ sacrifices would be the ones to do it, if we did…)

So, remember the true somber reason for Memorial Day this weekend. And then have fun on your day off as we usher in the start of summer.

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