Welcome to Memorial Day Weekend. What many view as the "unofficial" kickoff/start to summer. With the coronavirus keeping everyone on lockdown and people clamoring to reopen the state and get back to some sense of normalcy, this weekend is going to be a welcome distraction and relief.

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The chance to get out, cook out, & hang with family and friends is going to be embraced full on. A lot of folks are going to feel like kids getting off punishment and go crazy. Please, remember to celebrate responsibly. And that we still are under pandemic conditions. Even though restrictions are loosening up, and the state is easing into stages of reopening, we still have to be safe. Social distancing, wash your hands, wear your mask or facial covering over your nose and mouth in public places. Watch the sizes of your gatherings this weekend as well.

And while we're all ready to theoretically break free this weekend, let's not forget WHY we get to celebrate.

The brave men and women who gave all and paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. To celebrate, to protest, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, & live in the LAND OF THE FREE, BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.

But, and God bless you, some folks get this holiday wrong and messed up in so many ways. In their haste to just throw out a "thank you for your service" (and mind you that's cool to do), we do it for this holiday to military members and it's kind of...awkward. Let me explain.

This holiday, WE REMEMBER AND HONOR THE FALLEN. Those who gave all and made the ultimate sacrifice. We memorialize them.That have passed and are no longer with us.

Veterans Day is when we show appreciation to those WHO HAVE SERVED in the military and are still living.

And for those who are STILL SERVING, there is Armed Forces Day.

So you see how you telling a living service member "thank you for your service and happy Memorial Day" is just...awkward.

So be safe this weekend, do it responsibly, and remember WHY we get to do it.

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