Happy Memorial Day!

Republishing a feature from a few years ago...

These photo say it all. Memorial Day is a U.S. national holiday when we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. If you have lost a loved one, please know that millions are pausing today to reflect on your sacrifices. We care. Thank you for giving up the most precious thing you could give - your children, fathers and mothers, grandparents, brothers and sisters, cousins, and friends. I hope you can let the American people embrace you today in a gigantic collective hug of love and appreciation.

While today isn't really about the living, it's a great opportunity to thank veterans and the men and women who are currently serving in our Armed Forces. At any time, those at war could join the fallen at our national memorials at Arlington Cemetery and across the country. Today, some who were injured while serving are healing at hospitals around the world. Their stories - grit, determination, and bravery - are inspirational. Others who have returned from war aren't receiving the care (or the jobs) we owe them. That saddens me.

There was a beautiful, moving tribute, originally published in the Washington Post, A Song of Gratitude at Arlington National Cemetery, by Page Johnson of McLean, Virginia. I recommend that you read it at this link.

Here's a short excerpt.

So on this day of memories, I come to tell them thank you. I come to tell them I honor their service and the heritage they have given me. Most of all, I come to tell them that they are neither alone nor forgotten. I will be here for them, in spirit and in deed, and for their fellow soldiers trying to make a safer world so the children of every mother and father can sleep securely at night.

So many images - so many stories - define Memorial Day. "Thank you" doesn't seem adequate. While there will be pageantry, picnics, parades, concerts, and fireworks today, many of us will be thinking tearfully about the heroes who gave their lives so that we could live in peace.

Photos courtesy of photooftheday.com, nbcnews.com, and the Washington Post

Happy Memorial Day!

These photo say it all. Memorial Day is a U.S. national holiday when we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. If you have lost a loved one, please know that millions are pausing today to reflect on your sacrifices. We care. Thank you for giving up the most precious thing you could give - your children, fathers and mothers, grandparents, brothers and sisters, cousins, and friends. I hope you can let the American people embrace you today in a gigantic collective hug of love and appreciation.

While today isn't really about the living, it's a great opportunity to thank veterans and the men and women who are currently serving in our Armed Forces. At any time, those at war could join the fallen at our national memorials at Arlington Cemetery and across the country. Today, some who were injured while serving are healing at hospitals around the world. Their stories - grit, determination, and bravery - are inspirational. Others who have returned from war aren't receiving the care (or the jobs) we owe them. That saddens me, especially when they are put on endless waiting lists for care.

There was a beautiful, moving tribute, originally published in the Washington Post, A Song of Gratitude at Arlington National Cemetery, by Page Johnson of McLean, Virginia. I recommend that you read it at this link.

Here's a short excerpt.

So on this day of memories, I come to tell them thank you. I come to tell them I honor their service and the heritage they have given me. Most of all, I come to tell them that they are neither alone nor forgotten. I will be here for them, in spirit and in deed, and for their fellow soldiers trying to make a safer world so the children of every mother and father can sleep securely at night.

This photo is another that left me in tears.  This Memorial Day weekend, please pause to honor and remember the U.S. military dogs, who have been selflessly serving since World War II. In this photo, Staff Sgt. Thomas Sager carries the body of Dinomt (pronounced "dynomite"), a 90-pound German shepherd killed by an IED while on patrol in Kandahar. "He somehow took most of the blast, saving my life," his handler, Petty Officer 2nd Class Leroy Williams, said in an article a couple of months after Dinomt died. "I am eternally grateful. … There has not been a night go by yet that I don't miss him and even cry for him."

So many images - so many stories - define Memorial Day. "Thank you" doesn't seem adequate. While there will be pageantry, picnics, parades, concerts, and fireworks today, many of us will be thinking tearfully about the heroes who gave their lives so that we could live in peace.

Photos courtesy of unknown, nbcnews.com, National Geographic, and the Washington Post

Happy Memorial Day! (Part 2)

After I published my Memorial Day greeting last night, I really thought about Memorial  Day - as I do every year. It occurred to me that there's nothing "happy" about it. To most of us, and I think rightly, it symbolizes loss - the ultimate sacrifice of life so that others may enjoy freedom.

I think about courage, sacrifice, suffering, loneliness, fear, and the many other emotions that the men and women who serve in our military - and their families and friends - experience. That makes me sad, not happy.

Do you think we will ever live on an Earth without war?

Photo courtesy of the United States Air Force

Happy Memorial Day!

These photo say it all. Memorial Day is a U.S. national holiday when we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. If you have lost a loved one, please know that millions are pausing today to reflect on your sacrifices. We care. Thank you for giving up the most precious thing you could give - your children, fathers and mothers, grandparents, brothers and sisters, cousins, and friends. I hope you can let the American people embrace you today in a gigantic collective hug of love and appreciation.

While today isn't really about the living, it's a great opportunity to thank veterans and the men and women who are currently serving in our Armed Forces. At any time, those at war could join the fallen at our national memorials at Arlington Cemetery and across the country. Today, some who were injured while serving are healing at hospitals around the world. Their stories - grit, determination, and bravery - are inspirational. Others who have returned from war aren't receiving the care (or the jobs) we owe them. That saddens me.

There was a beautiful, moving tribute, originally published in the Washington Post, A Song of Gratitude at Arlington National Cemetery, by Page Johnson of McLean, Virginia. I recommend that you read it at this link.

Here's a short excerpt.

So on this day of memories, I come to tell them thank you. I come to tell them I honor their service and the heritage they have given me. Most of all, I come to tell them that they are neither alone nor forgotten. I will be here for them, in spirit and in deed, and for their fellow soldiers trying to make a safer world so the children of every mother and father can sleep securely at night.

So many images - so many stories - define Memorial Day. "Thank you" doesn't seem adequate. While there will be pageantry, picnics, parades, concerts, and fireworks today, many of us will be thinking tearfully about the heroes who gave their lives so that we could live in peace.

Photos courtesy of photooftheday.com, nbcnews.com, and the Washington Post

Tarte's Summer Essentials Plus a Memorial Day Sale

Rain or shine, Tarte will transform you into a glowing bronze goddess this Memorial Day weekend. Their new Rainforest Glow Maracuja Waterproof Body Bronzer ($34) and Park Ave Princess Bronze & Glow Matte Bronzer and Cheek Tint ($32) will help you achieve that perfect sun kissed look from head-to-toe. Traveling? Tarte's Prime, Shine, and Define To-Go-Kit ($12) has all of the pocket-sized essentials you'll need to look flawless on the fly.

It will take seconds to score a waterproof faux glow with Rainforest Glow Maracuja Waterproof Body Bronzer. If you don't have time to wait for a self-tanner to work, Rainforest Glow will give you instant color without commitment - my preference anyhow. It's also a great product for filling in a patchy tan or rejuvenating a fading one. Ultra-hydrating maracuja restores the skin's natural luster, so even after you wash it off with soap and water, your skin will still feel supremely soft and look radiant. This streak-free, quick-drying, and non-transferable formula is the cat's meow for when you want a fast, natural-looking tan.

Park Ave Princess Bronze & Glow Matte Bronzer and Cheek Tint, which I really want, is the new liquid version of Tarte's iconic Park Ave Princess powder bronzer. With this innovative two-in-one complexion enhancer, you'll achieve the perfect balance of sun-kissed bronze and a healthy flush. Plus, nature's pure miracle, maracuja, instantly absorbs into the skin, delivering a high dose of essential fatty acids and vitamin C to hydrate the skin while imparting a beautiful pop of sheer color. By fusing two products into one, Tarte has reduced packaging for an eco-friendly option.

The Prime, Shine, and Define To-Go-Kit, shown at the top of this feature, is a three-piece of deluxe travel-sized essentials - just what you need for getting flawless on the fly. Perfect and brighten your complexion and dramatize your eyes with Clean Slate Poreless 12-hour Perfecting Primer, Amazonian Clay BB Illuminating Moisturizer, and Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara - the three products in this kit. This convenient, travel-friendly kit will cover your beauty basics as you prime, shine, and define yourself.

It gets better. Over Memorial Day weekend, Tarte will be offering a 15% discount off everything at the company's e-commerce site - plus free shipping. Just use the code MDAY between May 23 and May 27. See Tarte's Web site for details.

Photos courtesy of Tarte

Happy Memorial Day!

This photo says it all. Memorial Day is a U.S. national holiday when we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. If you have lost a loved one, please know that millions are pausing today to reflect on your sacrifices. We care. Thank you for giving up the most precious thing you could give - your children, fathers and mothers, grandparents, brothers and sisters, cousins, and friends. I hope you can let the American people embrace you today in a gigantic collective hug of love and appreciation.

While today isn't really about the living, it's a great opportunity to thank veterans and the men and women who are currently serving in our Armed Forces. At any time, those at war could join the fallen at our national memorials at Arlington Cemetery and across the country. Today, some who were injured while serving are healing at hospitals around the world. Their stories - grit, determination, and bravery - are inspirational. Others who have returned from war aren't receiving the care we owe them, particularly those with PTSD. That saddens me.

So many images - so many stories - define Memorial Day. "Thank you" doesn't seem adequate. While there will be pageantry, picnics, parades, concerts, and fireworks today, many of us will be thinking tearfully about the heroes who gave their lives so that we could live in peace.

Photos sources lost

Memorial Day

This photo says it all. Memorial Day is a U.S. national holiday when we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. If you have lost a loved one, please know that millions are pausing today to reflect on your sacrifices. We care. Thank you for giving up the most precious thing you could give - your children, fathers and mothers, grandparents, brothers and sisters, cousins, and friends. I hope you can let the American people embrace you today in a gigantic collective hug of love and appreciation.

While today isn't really about the living, it's a great opportunity to thank veterans and the men and women who are currently serving in our Armed Forces. At any time, those at war could join the fallen at our national memorials at Arlington Cemetery and across the country. Today, some heal at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other hospitals treating those who were injured while serving. Their stories - grit, determination, and bravery - are inspirational. Others who have returned from war aren't receiving the care we owe them. That saddens me.

So many images - so many stories - define Memorial Day. "Thank you" doesn't seem adequate. While there will be pageantry, picnics, parades, concerts, and fireworks today, many of us will be thinking tearfully about the heroes who gave their lives so that we could live in peace.

Photos courtesy of Directory of San Diego and mommylife.net

Happy Memorial Day

If you have lost a loved one to war (or the new kind of war called terrorism), please know that millions are pausing today to reflect on your sacrifices. We care. Thank you for giving up the most precious thing you could give - your children, fathers and mothers, grandparents, brothers and sisters, cousins, and best friends. I hope you can let the American people embrace you today in a gigantic collective hug of love and appreciation.

Photo courtesy of blogs.wayne.edu

Memorial Day - A Day of Remembrance

Memorial Day - a day of remembrance - for many filled with feelings of love and loss, honor and pride. Let's pause for a thankful moment this weekend to remember the men and women who died for our freedom.

There was a beautiful, moving tribute in the Washington Post today, titled A Song of Gratitude at Arlington National Cemetery, by Page Johnson of McLean, Virginia. I recommend that you read it at this link.

Here's a short excerpt.

So on this day of memories, I come to tell them thank you. I come to tell them I honor their service and the heritage they have given me. Most of all, I come to tell them that they are neither alone nor forgotten. I will be here for them, in spirit and in deed, and for their fellow soldiers trying to make a safer world so the children of every mother and father can sleep securely at night.


Photos courtesy of jpac.pacom.mil and washingtondc-go.com