This is not a post I expected to write today as I set out for my usual Saturday morning long run along the Katy Trail. I’d forgotten that every Memorial Day weekend Carry The Load places hundreds of posters honoring fallen service members along the trail. It’s a moving tribute, one that can literally stop you in your tracks to read the stories.

It’s far too easy to just think of Memorial Day Weekend as a holiday to kick of the summer and forget the actual meaning: a day to mourn and honor our deceased service men and women.

While I don’t come from a family of military service, Oleta Salyards‘s family includes a few members across generations who have served, and we’re proud to count friends, and now the children of friends among those in uniform. Thankfully, we’ve not lost anyone close to us. For that we’re deeply grateful.

After graduating from Cornell, I considered joining the Navy. Though I chose another path, I remain profoundly respectful of those who step forward—especially those who never make it home.

Whether you’ve served, love someone who has, or have no personal connection at all, I hope you’ll take a moment this weekend to reflect. We owe so much to those who gave everything.