today is Memorial Day in the USA. for my fellow citizens and readers:

take time today, beyond the BBQs and gathering, to remember those who have sacrificed their lives in service. some joined with purpose and others forced through draft. all valuable, all precious, all sacrificed.

having BBQs is not bad, having social media posts is good, but let’s pressure our leaders to do the hard work of making such sacrifice less needed. we will likely always need those who are willing to sacrifice and we owe them our deep gratitude.

defending lives and freedom is necessary and can be motivated by a fierce compassion to end harm, but admittedly not all wars and conflict are this. we must ask ourselves why we are sending those willing to sacrifice into battle and are we truly honoring their willingness to sacrifice and serve.

we can best honor such sacrifice and the lives of those who serve by ending unnecessary war and conflict and making war and conflict overall less necessary.

~j

#MemorialDay2021 #MemorialDay #service #sacrifice #war #conflict