Memorial Day is always a celebration. It means that public pools are open again, people are venturing into parks and backyards to barbecue and enjoy the great outdoors, and ice-cream and popsicles become your go-to snack. Memorial Day is the mark of summer officially beginning, a time to enjoy life, be outside, and go do all the fun things you just can't do during the winter. But why do stores put out red, white, and blue decorations for Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is more than just a day celebrating the summer season. Its original purpose was to celebrate our military. Specifically, Memorial Day is different than Veterans day. Memorial Day honors those who have died in service to our nation while Veterans day, which is in November, honors the living who once served in the Armed Forces. Have you ever gone to a restaurant and seen an oddly set-up table with no one sitting at it? One that looks something like this:

This table is actually a reminder of what Memorial Day celebrates. Chick-Fil-A made national news last year when multiple locations set up these Fallen Soldier tables on Memorial Day. Reserving a table for no one from a perpetually busy restaurant may seem silly, but these tables mean so much more than just one less chair to sit in. Tables, like the one shown above and many more set similarly around the nation, are set to honor the fallen soldiers who did not make it home. Each piece of the table setting has a specific meaning, from the white tablecloth representing the purity of the motives of serving one's country to a small pinch of salt left on the table or plate that represents the families tears and sadness. These tables, more than anything else, serve as a visual reminder that what we have as Americans, what Memorial Day allows us to do- spend time with family and friends, celebrate our country, and revel in the beauty of our lives- does not come free. Many soldiers, families, and friends have sacrificed, and continue to sacrifice, to allow us these freedoms.

So, on this Memorial Day, celebrate summer, family, friends, and the weather. Celebrate the extra time and happiness that summer brings into your life. Celebrate in whatever way you and your family like to, but don't forget to take a moment to honor those who have fallen to give you the opportunity and right to celebrate. Visit a local military cemetery, reach out to a military family thanking them for their and their loved one's service, talk to members of your local VFW or American Legion post about a small way you can get involved in their efforts, or even make a donation to a charity that helps soldiers and their families. Remember what the day is for, remember that the blessings that we have been afforded did not come free, remember that soldiers are risking their lives for us. And, if you happen to go to a restaurant or other venue that has a Missing Man's/ Fallen Soldier table, take a second to read the description, thank the manager for remembering those before us, and remind yourself of the importance of the day.