Family sharing time...

I am sorry that I didn't take any photos yesterday. Two family members were at the Rocky Glen Cemetery for the Memorial Day celebration who are the family photographers and I just didn't feel the necessity to take my own, but now I wish I had a photo or two to add to this post.

I invited everyone over to the house once the ceremony was over for a chance to visit and we had a great time sharing stories. I had left overs from our outing to the local winery the day before so I was able to put out a light spread of goodies to munch on. Two pies were brought by family and we were set. We had a wonderful time sharing stories which created roars of laughter and then more stories of memories from childhood throughout the years. The kids were in and out playing with Georgie, the ever present, ever ready to play beagle. It turned out to be a great day. No great planned event or big feast just a day full of family. Isn't that what Memorial Day is truly all about? The soldiers who sacrificed so much, time, comfort, jobs, health, families, and many times ultimately their life, isn't that what they did it for? To ensure that their families and friends can continue to live in freedom. Their love for family and friends is far greater than the risk of losing their lives.

Let me encourage you to take the opportunity this summer to get together with family and friends that you haven't seen in a long while. We are not guarenteed tomorrow, we are not even guarenteed the next 10 minutes. Don't let the opportunities of the day pass you by. I could have just said good bye to every one yesterday at the cemetery after the ceremony was over and come home to spend a quiet day doing my own thing but that would have been a lost opportunity. I could have thought I don't have the house cleaned up, I don't have any food ready, I have plans to do... excuses. I think it is more important to take opportunities when they arise and even more so to make opportunities to get together with those we love. We need to share and uplift one another. We need to be involved. Our lives are getting so busy. Our communities are getting ever so big that we as individuals begin to lose the ties that bind us together. Worse off we begin to believe that we don't need one another. I have 'me and mine' and I don't need anyone or anything else. We all need some help along the way even the strongest of us.

I hope you had a memorable day and that your summer plans will include some extended family time. With all the advanced technology we have we don't even have to be in the same state or even the same country for that matter to spend some time together. Have a blessed day and plan some activities that will bring you closer together with distant relatives and friends.

Remember to be thankful today for something that was bought and paid for by the lives of those who have fought through out the centuries of our country's history.