Not Just a Day Off

I’ve blogged a lot heartening Chicagoans to get out and experience the city’s numerous events, hotspots, and celebrations.  I’ve worked to inspire the need for kindling and rekindling friendships, the motive to invest time in dancing, singing, listening to music, the desire to eat a lot and drink more than usual with those we trust, and the self-allowance of overlooking life’s countless pressures. 

My standpoint still remains.  I’ll almost never find reason to evade engaging in the many means of relishing merriments-though I can’t help but skew these means of persistent motivation when put in terms of Memorial Day celebrations. 

I encourage friendships; I encourage the various mediums of appreciating music; I encourage an abundance of food and drinks; I encourage the right to an untroubled day.  However, my encouragement grows much more profound, and personal as I reflect on this day. 

My ambition targets two kinds of people. 

I aim for those of all cities recently spending, perhaps, too much time out, too much time away from home.  As I understand I’ve been and am still there, you all know who you are.  Being a college student entails the freedom to finally live on your own, to endow a fresh set of immeasurable hours roaming and discovering what your new city has to offer; in my case, Chicago was one of the two new urban locations keeping me away from home and busy with different entertainment. 

And while my opinion regarding Chicago and all its amusement stands appreciative and confident, I feel compelled in motivating others to spend some time at home this weekend.  I don’t negate those who hold harsher interpretations of the meaning ‘home,’ so I instead wish to persuade those in defining what they consider their closest relation(s) to what’d typically be considered as home.  Whatever the hardships with family, ruminate those who’ve acted as the lack of guidance, nurturing, and attention in your life; maybe it was another family member, a friend, a significant other.  No matter the relationship, they’ve worked to replenish that absent piece of home, and for that, I wish to stimulate those to spend time at whatever their style of home, with whatever version of family.    

I’m a keen believer that I’m doing my troops my greatest justice by participating in not only the moments they’d (literally) give their lives to be a part of, but the moments they’re essentially protecting most emphatically and fervently.  They’re defending the city--the music, the restaurants, the performances--though they’re focal emphasis lies in their undying, impassioned goal in protecting the fundamental relationships that make up our everyday lives.  After all, these celebrations would cease existing without the friends, family, and significant others to share them with together. 

I also care to move the individuals remaining who merely want to, planned to, or have no other option but going out for Memorial Day.  I take grave note of the limitless memorial proceedings of Chicago and the powerful affect they’ve had on residents-I realize certain events denote families and friends of these fellow troops discerning these measures with utmost gratitude.  That being said, while I wish to encourage time at home, I encourage those who may not have that chance or decline visiting home, to contribute or attend these memorial services, and further enrich both your knowledge and outlook concerning this day.  If you have this day to yourself, instead of tolerating loneliness, implement companionship-among those sharing the same intense devotion to have an exceptional Memorial Day. 

Needless to say, with family this weekend or not, whatever partying you engross, either all day or within the evening, remember the reasons you’re reveling… or better yet, the reason you can even be marry in the first place. 

This is not just a day off.  This is not just a celebration.  This is a day off dedicated to celebrating, remembering, and praising those that keep the lives of Americans safe; and since we cannot always spend this day with all or even any troops, it’s essential we don’t disrespect their absence.  This day’s history has not yet finished; still in war and military in service, we must place extensive prominence on not only remembering, but admiring.  Better yet, we must serve as support for our troops, looking to this day as an immense reminder of the faith we have in the military, in which Americans behave as the cheerleaders of those still fighting. 

So when you eat, drink, and be merry, remember you’re eating, drinking, and merry because of those who have and remain in service.