Memorial Day, when you have a child serving in the military, it puts a whole new feel on the holiday weekend.

Too many times we see signs with “Happy Memorial Day” written on them and hear people say, “Happy Memorial Day”.

Is it really a happy occasion? Is it a happy weekend?

Well, yes, I guess it can be a happy weekend. It can be a weekend of seeing family and friends. It is the weekend that is known for its unofficial start of the summer season since school is usually out right before this weekend comes around.

It is also a weekend that too many times we take for granted and might not really take the time to reflect on the true reason and meaning behind, “Memorial Day”.

The true meaning of Memorial Day is not a happy one, but one to reflect and to honor those that had died while serving our country.

With all of the days to honor our military, we have Armed Services Day, in which is to honor those that are actively serving. We also have Veterans Day, in which we honor those that have served. Lastly, we have Memorial Day, which is a day of remembrance of those that have died while serving.

All gave some…some gave all.

When I was growing up, my grandpa was a very proud American. He came here from Germany, his dream was to be an American so when it came time to defend his beloved country, he did. He fought in World War II. Every Memorial Weekend, when we were little, I remember attending the Memorial Service in our small-town cemetery. Poppies were handed out and many wore them in their lapel very proudly. I was young but being there and watching my grandpa and other servicemen and women salute and respect the flag, as well as seeing and hearing TAPs played, was something that impacted me greatly.

As an adult, The National Anthem with colors prior to a football game would bring me to tears, especially so after my child earned his title of a U.S. Marine. I can recall my discernment when I would see people disregard the flag by talking or moving around as the servicemen were still leaving the field. I was taught to stand with my right hand over my heart until the flag passed or was off the field.

In my years of having a son serving, I learned so much more.

I learned that when a mother has a child actively serving, they are called a “Blue Star Mom”, so if you see a blue star on someone’s window or door, they are letting you know they are honoring their child by displaying their “Star”. There are many Blue Star Moms that do so many great things for our military. Christmas goodies, deployment care packages, and much more.

When a child is deployed, in which means they are not stateside, (although some humanitarian missions and training are considered deployments even if they are stateside), but whether it be during war time or for training purposes or maybe for humanitarian aid, many military families will wrap a yellow ribbon around a tree or display a yellow ribbon wreath. This displays to others to keep their child in prayer until their safe return.

When my son enlisted and was serving, many people’s comments would come off as somewhat ignorant, in which I can understand. You only know what you know. Some would say things like, “Well, he knew what he was getting into”. My thoughts were always, they know just as much as anyone knows what they are getting into when they are 17 or 18 years old. Plus, they only know what some recruiter has told them, in which he/she went to recruiter school for a reason, to learn to be a “car salesman”.  The only thing is, if you buy a lemon of a car, you most likely can trade it in, but that is not something you can do when you sign yourself over to the U.S. government. If a child decides on a college and finds that after being there for a year or so that it wasn’t what they thought it was going to be, they most likely can leave or change to a new school, this is not so when your child enlists in the Military.

When they serve, the family serves, in a way, as well.

What many people do not put much thought into is that even when it is what they call, “Peace time”, there are still so many risks that our military takes in their day-to-day jobs (or MOS’s, as they are called). Our military most of the time do not learn skills or anything that can be used outside of the military. Their jobs consist of what they would do if they were called to defend us.

Their jobs are what they would do in combat. Their training is to train them to do what they need to do to keep us Americans safe on U.S. soil and abroad.

As a new mom of a Marine, I learned early on the tragedy of loss of life of young Marines from training incidents, some losses were too close to home. One tragic incident claimed a young hero, a very good friend of my son’s. Other losses came later during his time of serving.

Some heroes were Marines that I had only met through my Marine Mom support pages or boot camp page, in which we all had sons and daughters actively serving, we all became family. We got to know each other, we prayed for each other, and we loved each other’s children like they were our own. No bond is tighter than a bond that comes from praying for each other and for each others' children and their safety. We’d share stories and be so excited when one was home, and pictures were shared with cutting of ribbons and so much more.

Some of us have met in person, some more than once. It is crazy to think that we have this bond of friendship from loving a Marine son or daughter.

Through my time of being a Mom of a Marine, I learned that a mother that has lost a child that was actively serving, is called a “Gold Star Mom”. Sadly, I feel I I have met too many of these beautiful women in my years, which a few, I knew as “Blue Star” moms originally. Learning that a mom that you know received the dreaded news was always like a punch of reality. It can happen.

This Memorial weekend, I hope you do have fun and that you are able to enjoy it with family and friends, but during this time, I also ask that you take a moment to reflect on those that have served and have paid the ultimate price. I hope that you take a moment to think about the families that “Memorial Day” is not about barbecues, camping, and fishing. Think about those that are spending this weekend reminiscing of their child that left for boot camp shortly after their high school graduation and their last memory was a flag covered casket.

They may not have known us, but they raised their right hand and took that oath.

And they gave all.

God bless and thank you.