It's Memorial Day - a day set aside for us to honor our deceased and current veterans. When I was growing up, it meant marching in the annual parade and grilling out. Those are the things I remember about Memorial Day.
I think it's bigger than that, though. Yesterday, we rededicated a memorial prayer garden at church. It had originally been built in memory of a charter member of the church who died. When the parsonage was moved onto church property, the garden was removed, with intentions for it to be relocated. I didn't know most of the story about it; when I came, I just knew there was a pile of wooden pieces and bricks by pine trees. Eventually, the story unfolded, and our trustees were able to recreate the prayer garden.
It's now a place for people to sit in nature, to reflect, pray, and meditate. It exists because there was a woman who had always been a part of the congregation who gave tirelessly of herself and resources. The same giving of self is what the military does; there are countless others who gave selflessly. And so, to me, we memorialize all who have given selflessly for others. That's what Memorial Day is about to me, and what I'm thinking about today.
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