Memorial Day

The urban legend - which Snopes confirms is not true - about the bicycle tree is that a young soldier left his bicycle parked beside this tree in 1914, went off to fight in WWI and never returned. The story goes that the bicycle remained where he left it and the tree "ate" the bicycle as it grew. Not true!

However, the picture serves as a metaphor of the truth. We send our young men and women into harm's way over and over and over again!

Some return and pick up their lives and move on with the shadows of war hidden deeply in their memories. These we honor with deep gratitude today, Memorial Day.

Some return maimed in body and soul - wounded warriors - who carry the scars of war for the rest of their time on earth. These we honor and thank and marvel at the HUGE sacrifice they have made for the freedoms we enjoy in the land of the free and home of the brave!

Others - like the fictional boy of the picture - never return because they gave the ultimate sacrifice to enable us to live free! These are they who we remember with special honor today, Memorial Day! We live free because these were willing to lay down their lives to secure freedom for people they didn't know like you and me!

As you contemplate the sacrifices of so many warriors AND their families who have also given their own HUGE gift to the cause of freedom, celebrate them today!