Honor and Remember

At sunrise, flags were quickly raised to the top of the staff and then slowly lowered to half-staff. At noon, they are again quickly raised to full staff, where they fly until sunset.

Many of us will light the grill and take advantage of having today off work on this unofficial first day of summer. The more you learn or the closer you are to the sorrow and seriousness of the sacrifices made by the fallen soldiers who are commemorated on this day the closer you get to understanding Memorial Day's actual significance so you can honor and remember. We will all observe today in different ways; for some, it's a time of grief, remorse, or regret; for others, it's a joyful celebration of memories. Regardless of your approach, the important thing is that you remember, reflect, and then do what feels right to you and your family.

At Raqad, we want to say Thank You to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice and salute our fallen soldiers. Some of our Raqad families have lost family members and friends who bravely risked their lives serving our country, and many of our Raqad families have relatives who currently serve in our military or have veterans in their lives. We are incredibly blessed to be able to pay tribute to those who courageously defended our country. Empathy and gratitude are two of the most important lessons we are able to impart our children and a crucial component to comprehending today's tribute is learning from veterans who have firsthand knowledge of the effects from combat. To respect the services and sacrifices that soldiers make, spend some time learning about their journey. A first-person account of history offers a completely different image of the circumstances, and you may gain some insight into the history and attitudes of soldiers and civilians.

This Memorial Day, take some time to reflect on the victories and setbacks that our great nation has endured, all because of the individuals who gave their lives to defend our great nation. Memorial Day is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on and be grateful for the reasons we are able to live so freely in this glorious country, and it is also a chance to incorporate gratitude into our daily life by making sure everyone you are around feels valued and appreciated. Spend some time reflecting on the sacrifices made by Americans throughout history as well as those being made today on our behalf to advance our country.

Have a Blessed Memorial Day!

If you’re looking for a way to honor those who have sacrificed, all Americans are encouraged to pause for The National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. today for a moment of silence.

This act, was passed by Congress, asking that all Americans pause for one minute and simply remember. Baseball games will stop. Amtrak whistles will sound. And if you go to the Google homepage, you’ll be able to play Taps.

(The recognizable and haunting bugle call that is played at military funerals and is just about a minute long.)