Memorial Day - Remembrance and Reflection

This long weekend kicks off "the summer" for most. Town pools are open, and lakes are staffed and safe for swimming. Friends gather at barbeques, and people kick back. But Memorial Day is a solemn day for others. People's experiences and feelings range widely on Memorial Day.

This date addresses America's commemoration of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Many nations have a day of similar dedicated remembrance. In the United States, as a child, I would join my grandmother at her son's gravesite—my uncle Gilbert Bashe (ztl), USMC, and namesake—at the Pinelawn National Cemetery on Long Island. Holding my grandmother's hand, I could feel her incredible, enduring pain through her touch. Later, as a young professional working for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, I would go out with colleagues' families to the Anzac Memorial grounds in Syndey, where people would picnic and honor their history. The day is marked by many, and customs differ.

We all have many thoughts about this holiday weekend, and others like it are observed at different times worldwide.

How do conflicts start? Why do they escalate to levels that require military intervention and destruction? Do we know how or when they will be resolved? I leave these questions to others to discuss, debate, and determine. Perhaps we should also mark this day as heralding peace among people in the future. I hope the day will come and we enjoy the Biblical prophet Isaiah's words, "The quiet, comforting peace that sitting beside a flowing river can bring."

In the meantime, we can do something to bring about a better, peaceful world within our families and workplaces. One of the most important behaviors is kindness. This approach calls upon us to be mindful of others' feelings, ideas, and opinions. It means listening to others and considering their perspectives. Sometimes, conflict is needed to transcend to a better place. That should always be the last resort and the sought goal -- harmony among people.

If you are going to one of the seven National Military Cemeteries to remember friends and family who made the ultimate sacrifice, our hearts are with you, and we hope cherished memories bring you comfort. I still go to my uncle's gravesite, among the sea of white tombstones, to pay my respects—to him, my grandparents, my father, and my surviving uncle (both veterans) -- all of whom have passed now. They all sacrificed something far beyond the loss of this carefree weekend that many others will enjoy.

May you be comforted by the memories of your loved ones. May their sacrifice not have been in vain. The nation's citizens cannot express sufficient gratitude for their sacrifice and your enduring loss.