To the brave men and women who laid down their lives for our country,

On this solemn Memorial Day, we pause not just to remember your sacrifice – but to speak to you, heart to heart, across time and silence.

You may never hear our words, but we speak them anyway – because the freedom we wake up to every morning is stitched with your courage. The quiet moments of peace we enjoy – barbecues with friends, baseball games, walks in the park, spending time with our families – are gifts you gave us. You kept the wolves at bay. You stood between danger and the nation you loved. And too often, you paid the price so the rest of us could keep living ours.

We don’t know all your names. We never saw your last breath, never heard your final thoughts. But we carry you in every flag that waves, every child who pledges allegiance, every veteran who salutes the stars and stripes with tears in their eyes.

Your lives were more than uniforms and dog tags. You were sons and daughters, moms and dads, friends, mentors, husbands and wives. You were more than warriors – you were human beings who believed that some things were worth protecting, even at the cost of your own tomorrow.

So today, we don’t just say “Happy Memorial Day.” We say thank you. We say we remember. We say we haven’t forgotten what it took to make this country free – and what it still takes to keep it that way.

Your sacrifice is the soil in which our liberty grows. And though we can never repay the debt, we can live in a way that honors it: with courage, with service, and with love of country.

From all of us who walk free today – thank you, and may you rest in the peace you gave to others.

With eternal gratitude,

A Grateful Nation