Visit to D.C. war monuments hammers home the true meaning of Memorial Day

What’s your story?

If you ever need a somber and humbling reminder of how fragile and fleeting life can be, I suggest you take a field trip to visit the monuments in Washington, D.C.

Some years ago, my family and I took an unguided tour there and it left an indelible impression on me. As we walked from monument to monument, I felt the heaviness and gravity of the toll and scars that wars leave on our collective conscious.

At the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, there are over 58,000 names etched into the wall. Over 58,000 soldiers who died or are still considered missing. If ever there was a symbol of duty, courage and sacrifice, it is the Vietnam Wall. The average age of those soldiers was 19. Think about what you were doing at that age. Now, imagine you are sitting in front of your television and you’re waiting to see if your birth date puts your name in a lottery to go fight an enemy you know nothing about in a country you’d have a hard time locating on a map. Fifty-eight thousand-plus. The names aren’t just etchings in a wall. They are a stark reminder of life’s fragility. Fifty-eight thousand-plus. Every one has a name and every one had a story to tell.

As we moved along, a thousand thoughts raced through my mind, all of them still focused on that soldier: Did he make it home safely? Where was he from? What was his family like? Did he know my uncles? Of course, what was his story?

A famous quote serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifice our brave soldiers made. It reads, “Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”

On this Memorial Day, I hope you take a moment and remember those fallen or missing heroes who paid the ultimate price so we can enjoy the freedoms this country has to offer. I hope you take a moment to reflect and appreciate their sacrifice. I hope you give your friends and family all the love you have to offer. I hope you live your life to the fullest so that sacrifice doesn’t go in vain. Finally, I hope this world can find a “time for peace, I swear it’s not too late.”