The Red, White and Blue

Along the roads of America on Memorial Day, you will find 1000’s of US Flags proudly waving in the air.  It symbolizes a nation of freedom, choice and prosperity, yet it hasn’t always been that way for all Americans nor is it that way for many people here in the “land of the brave and the land of the free.”

I like to think that if my great Uncle who gave his life to protect his fellow soldiers was alive today, that he would want others to know that Memorial Day isn’t about the BBQ’s, pool parties, etc although I am sure he would have been one of the first ones to gather his family around and enjoy each others company.

I think on this day, he would whisper from heaven a message of love and sacrifice.  He wouldn’t say this in a boisterous way or try to call attention to himself.  It would be in a humble way that would teach us to get back to our roots, give a hug to a loved one, an aloha greeting to a neighbor and serve a stranger.

He would invite us to remember those that have passed on, yet encourage us to look to the future to learn from the past and build a brighter tomorrow.  In a world of instant gratification, limitless information and social connections across the globe, are we loosing sight of what made America and humanity great to begin with.  I hear these words spoken from our forefathers, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” and it gives me hope.

One Nation Under God

I think my Uncle would want us to hold to this truth that we our “one nation under God” willing to treat each other with love and kindness.  The cause of truth and freedom has never been more important than it is today.  We must continue to fight for those freedoms again and again as we use our ability to choose as we to stand for truth, righteousness, goodness, kindness and make the necessary sacrifices to ensure that our children have a future full of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

May the life of my great Uncle inspire you to make a better choice today…