Memorial Day 2025

Article by: Dr. Nicole Wadsworth, Alabama

Every year on the last Monday of May, Americans across our nation pause to observe Memorial Day—a solemn occasion that transcends barbecues, long weekends, and the unofficial start of summer. While these traditions bring families together, the true heart of Memorial Day beats in remembrance and reverence. It is a day carved out to honor the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

Memorial Day is about loss as well as love, a love of country so deep that it compels ordinary citizens to perform extraordinary acts of courage. It is about the love of family and freedom, strong enough to inspire a final act of selflessness. These fallen heroes left behind legacies of valor, integrity, and an unwavering sense of duty.

Across quiet cemeteries dotted with flags and cities bustling with parades, Americans unite in gratitude. We remember the soldiers of Normandy, the fields of Gettysburg, the jungles of Vietnam, the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan—and countless unnamed places where courage was quietly carried out. Their sacrifices secured the liberties we often take for granted: the right to speak freely, to worship openly, to live in safety, and to dream without fear.

But Memorial Day is also deeply personal. It is a time for gold star families to mourn their loved ones, for veterans to remember fallen comrades, and for younger generations to learn that freedom has always come with a cost. It is a reminder that behind every name etched in marble is a story—a life of purpose, of laughter and hardship, and of service.

As we lay wreaths and bow our heads, let us not simply remember the dead, but also honor them by how we live. Let us pursue peace, protect liberty, and serve one another with the same spirit of selflessness they exemplified.

This Memorial Day, may our gratitude be more than words. May it shape our actions, deepen our unity, and strengthen our resolve to live in a way that is worthy of their sacrifice.

For they gave everything—for us.

Dr. Nicole J. Wadsworth