Remembering

For educators, this is a crazy time of year. My colleagues and I look forward to this long Memorial Day weekend as a chance to recharge before the final leg of the school year marathon. We use the weekend to catch up, refresh and prepare for those crazy last few days before summer vacation. A combination of preparation and relaxation, it’s a small taste of the days off that lie ahead.

But when I logged on to Facebook yesterday morning for my status check and a little virtual farming, I was reminded of the real reason for this weekend (thanks, Teresa!) It is a weekend to honor and remember both those who have served and those who continue to serve our country, the men and women who keep us safe and allow us to continue to live the lifestyle to which we have become accustomed.

For me, it’s also a time to remember those whose impact on us is a little closer to home. Right or wrong, I think of Memorial Day as a time to remember loved ones who have gone before us – the friends and families whose impact on us has not faded despite their absence. Like anniversaries and birthdays, Memorial Day is a chance to stop and think about them, to take a moment to cherish what they have given us.

Finally, and of far less importance than all of the above: Memorial Day weekend marks the fourth anniversary of this blog. On a porch swing at my brother- and sister-in-law’s house on Memorial Day, I wrote the first of "The Porch Swing Chronicles." Over the course of the past four years, I have varied format, topic, frequency and even web address, but four years later, I’m still logging on with something to say. Thanks to all of you who stop by to check it out.

Amid the sunshine and cookouts, who will you remember this weekend?