By Alex Black

As we are headed into this Memorial Day, I was struck by a poignant reminder of what Memorial Day is really all about.

Discussing with my wife and daughter our plans for the weekend, dinner out on Saturday, groceries and cleaning on Sunday, we remind my daughter that Monday is a family day, she doesn’t have school and we are both off of work.

We ask her if she would like to go swimming on Monday or perhaps to perhaps to see a movie. She was immediately overcome with an expression of great concern, turned to the both of us and in her just barely out of toddlerese voice said “We need to remember the people, the.. I can’t remember the word, the people, the one who protected the whole Earth!”

We looked at her quizzically trying to piece together the word she was struggling to remember. She continued “You know! The people! They protect the Earth, but… they’re not here anymore, they dieded.. We need to remember them on Monday!” In unison my wife and I responded “Soldier!” “We need to remember the soldiers?” we asked. She, excited that we were able to piece together her missing word squealed, “yes! We have to remember the soldiers because they protect Earth and keep us safe, but now they died so we have to remember them.”

So that is my reminder to you, coming from the smallest amongst us. While you cook out, celebrate with the friends and family around you, or even just sitting on the couch recuperating from a long hard week’s worth of work. Don’t forget what Monday is really all about — the soldiers, their sacrifice because without them we would not have a nation worth fighting for at all.

Even in these turbulent political times, they still fight to keep us safe. I am reminded of my father, a Navy veteran, resting here at the Salisbury National Cemetery Annex in the columbarium. A man who’s love for country was only exceeded by his love for his family. Especially his granddaughter, who was two at the time of his death. So that is what my family will do this Monday, because it’s a family day. We will spend it remembering our family, who sacrificed for this country. Remembering all those who came before, keeping not just this country safe, but in the immortal words of a 5-year-old girl, “who keep the whole Earth safe!” 

Alex Black was born and raised in Salisbury.