Here’s to a memorable Memorial Day 2025

I find myself counting down the days to Memorial Day like a kid eyeing the last few squares on the school calendar. Something about that final Monday in May just flips a mental switch, and suddenly it’s summer. The pace softens (hopefully), the grill gets fired up and we start measuring time in golf days and lemonade (or beverage of choice) refills.
Maybe it’s just me, but this year the buildup to summer feels especially overdue. The past few months have felt unusually fast and full, like life’s been running on fast-forward. Between work, schedules, trips to visit my dear mother and everything in between, I’m more than ready to hit the brakes a bit. Give me a lawn chair, some sunshine, and one of those conversations that meander without purpose. That’s the energy I’m chasing.
But as eager as I am for the slower rhythm and summer rituals, Memorial Day always calls for a deeper pause. Before the burgers hit the grill or the sunscreen comes out, I try to stop and reflect. I’ll say a prayer for loved ones no longer here; some who served, some who simply shaped my life. And I’ll tip my hat, sincerely, to the men and women who’ve worn the uniform and served our country, past and present. Their sacrifice is the reason we can enjoy days like this in freedom and peace.
So here’s to a memorable Memorial Day, not just because it kicks off summer, but because it reminds us to be grateful. Grateful for time with family and friends. Grateful for the lives we get to live. And grateful for those who made it all possible.
May your burgers be juicy, your flags fly high, and your weekend be the start of a season worth remembering.
KURT JOHNSON can be reached at kjohnson@ hamilton.net