REMEMBERING

Throughout the years, I have had some memorable Memorial Day Holiday Weekends. Going back to the days of my youth the innaugarual holiday of the Summer Season always meant family fun at home with visits from my older brother or some other family member, grilled food, watermelon, and home-made ice cream and strawberries. I mean, really, what's not to like about a holiday that signals the start of the carefree days of Summer, and you know that the livin' is easy in the Summertime here in the Lowcountry.

As I have grown older and wiser, although my wife and son's might question the wiser part, I have a more acute sense of the purpose of Memorial Day. Living in an area with such a military presence has certainly contributed to my heightened awareness. Yesterday I spent part of my day at a party thrown by my good friends Leslie, Will, Troy and Danielle in one of the coolest backyard party spots in Goose Creek, South Carolina and I was honored to be amongst several folks who have either served our Country or are currently serving in the Armed Forces. What a great reminder for me that the day and weekend is not just about barbecues, sand, sun, beaches and pools but that the reason we celebrate that way is to honor and remember the very people who have made personal sacrifices so that we have the freedom to celebrate in that way.

Having said all of that, the Summertime holidays are a blast in the Lowcountry. Our beaches and waterways are jam packed with locals as well as vacationers from points North, as was evidenced by the traffic heading East on I-26 Thursday afternoon and evening, and why not? There is so much fun stuff to do here in "vacation land." I am sure that today will be another great day as we wrap up Memorial Day Weekend 2011. And the best part, as I told my friend Jeff (another WV transplant) on the telephone last night, is that at the end of the weekend we don't have to drive back home, we are already here. No matter where you are today, please remember and honor those brave men and women who serve or have served your Country and have a great Memorial Day, From The Land of Palm Trees.