REMEMBER

That's a picture of Arlington National Cemetery. I've read that more than 260,000 people who have been buried in Arlington, representing veterans from every war in U.S. history... That's more than a quarter of a million people who died in service to this country...

Today is Memorial Day. It's a day set aside to remember those whose commitment, loyalty and devotion to our country was demonstrated at the cost of their very lives.

I heard it a long time ago... But it's TRUE and bears repeating... FREEDOM is never FREE. It's always bought with a price and maintained by a struggle.

Here’s a snapshot on the "price tag" of the freedom that you and I experience and enjoy:

Approximately 6,000 patriots died in battle during the American Revolutionary War.

This country lost almost 500,000 during the Civil War, which almost tore this nation apart.

In World War I, more than 116,000 lost their lives in service to America.

In World War II, more than 400,000 U.S. servicemen and women lost their lives.

The Korean War took the lives of 54,246.

Inscribed upon the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. are the names 58,209 men and women, each name representing an individual who gave their lives for this country during the Vietnam War.

This morning I read that more than 4,080 men and women have given their lives in the current war in Iraq.

All in all, well more than 1 million people have died in war, serving this country since our country was founded.

So today, while you're enjoying a day off, spending time with your family, enjoying a trip to the lake, whatever... PAUSE for just a moment to REMEMBER and REFLECT on the price that was paid for the FREEDOM we enjoy...

Maybe you could also write a letter to one of the men or women serving our country on foreign soil today...

Maybe you could just look at a veteran in the eye and say, "THANK YOU."

Today is a day to REMEMBER...and say, "THANK YOU."