Written by: Vickie Sullivan | May 22, 2025
Reflecting on the True Meaning of Memorial Day
After months of wacky weather—including snow in the Deep South—summer is finally here. It’s just in time for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, prompting us to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day.
This is the moment we pause to remember the ultimate sacrifices our service members made—and to reconnect with the true meaning of Memorial Day. As I watch live music and children playing in the courtyard at our beach place, I’ll be sending heartfelt gratitude to these brave men and women. I know I wouldn’t enjoy the freedoms I have without their sacrifice.
The big question I keep coming back to is this: What drives our service men and women?
Seriously—these individuals voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way. And the answer I keep landing on is loyalty.
Loyalty to a big idea, and that has as many interpretations as we do people in our country.
So, as we kick off summer with festivities, let’s ask ourselves: What are we loyal to?
While I love my people dearly, I’m fiercely loyal to the principles these service members died for. And that means I’ll gently call out bad behavior or mistakes—no matter who makes them. No matter how much I agree with them on other issues. No matter how much I love them.
Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone. May we stay loyal to the ideas that define the true meaning of Memorial Day—and to the ideals that make our country a place many still long to call home.
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