Take a Minute and Pause

Living in San Diego County, I am surrounded by the great men and women who protect our country; Camp Pendleton to the north, MCAS Miramar and NAS North Island to the south, to name just a of few of the local military facilities. Most times as I am driving around this beautiful county I am not thinking about the freedom I am afforded by our military. I am instead thinking about how beautiful a day it is and how lucky I am to live here. And even though Memorial Day is by rights a somber holiday, it has also become the day we celebrate the start of summer with bbq’s and bonfires on the beach, and the day we head to the movie theaters to check out the newest summer blockbuster. 

In 2000, to help keep us mindful of the significance of Memorial Day, Congress established a National Moment of Remembrance, which asks Americans to pause for one minute at 3PM in an act of national unity. The time was chosen because 3PM “is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday.” Whether you pause at 3PM today, or at any other time, take a moment today and reflect on the reason we celebrate this national holiday – in honor of all the members of the United States armed forces who were killed in war, and who are still being killed. God bless them all.