In Honor of Memorial Day: “Earn This”

One of my all-time favorite movie scenes is from Saving Private Ryan, when Tom Hanks’ character asks us to “earn this.” He was dying, breathing his last breaths, and he wanted to make sure that Americans would live a life worthy of that sacrifice.

That’s always been incredibly inspiring to me. Especially on Memorial Day, it’s important that we remember those who died for our freedom. Memorial Day isn’t just a generic patriotic holiday, it’s specifically to honor those who gave the “ultimate sacrifice”… their lives.

We should honor them by remembering that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We can’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for and protected. Over and over and over again.

And we should enjoy it! As free Americans, we should honor their sacrifice by supporting small businesses, watching a little league baseball game, going camping, taking the boat out, having a campfire, taking a good old fashioned American road trip… the things we couldn’t do if we weren’t free.

It’s been said that a man who doesn’t read is no better off than a man who can’t read. I think it’s just as true that people who don’t enjoy their freedom aren’t any better off than people without freedom!

So remember this Memorial Day to have fun, live free, and honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice… remember to earn this.