Forum Editorial: On Memorial Day, we remember

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Since the first words of America’s story were written, they have been written on pages made up of the lives of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that our story can keep being told.

We are a nation founded through a shared struggle, shared sacrifice and a belief in a shared set of ideals so strong that more than a million Americans have given their lives in service to them.

Many of their stories have faded over the centuries. Many we carry around with us still, and share with those who can appreciate the gift we’ve all been given.

Memorial Day, our national day of remembrance, is for all of us still here to take a break from the daily writing of our American story to acknowledge the men and women who gave their lives so that we could keep going.

Everyone knows someone who has made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, or knows someone who knows someone who has. Tell their stories, remember their sacrifices and keep them in mind when we resume the frantic scribbling of everyday life afterward.

It’s natural that after a time, everyone’s story fades. But for those who have given their lives in defense of our ideals — even when we no longer remember their names — we know their deeds, and their sacrifices live on through the ongoing story of America.

On Memorial Day, we remember that our story is only possible because of the sacrifices made by those who were determined that we be able to write it — even if they had to pay the ultimate cost.

For them, we remember.