For many Americans, Memorial Day is nothing more than a welcome day off of work to kick back and relax and maybe host a backyard barbeque.
But the true meaning of this holiday should stir deep gratitude and empathy in every American citizen. Memorial Day is set aside not for leisure but for reverence. It is about honoring and remembering the men and women of the armed forces who died while serving in the military.
Two years ago, Glenn Beck delivered an unforgettable message that is worth revisiting on this important day.
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Glenn starts by telling a common story that only the parents of fallen soldiers will truly understand.
“If you will, try to imagine this in the first person, through the eyes of someone I'm about to describe,” he begins.
“Your son has been in the United States Marine Corps for what seems like forever now. … What begins as extreme worry and then turns to panic, then helplessness, then all time seems to stop. It's as if you're stranded in the loneliest cold of winter, with no daylight to help tell you the passage of time. It's just you, your worry, and no end in sight,” he narrates.
Unbeknownst to you, your beloved son suddenly falls in combat. This immediately sets a precise military protocol in motion.
“This is what's happening behind the scenes,” says Glenn. “First a death notification. It has to be executed within eight hours. A discreet attempt to locate you, the next of kin, is initiated so the officers chosen to deliver the notification arrive at the right place at the right time.”
“Three individuals are typically chosen to arrive at your home: an officer at least one rank higher than the deceased, a chaplain, and someone capable of delivering medical help should the next of kin pass out or worse,” he continues.
The parent, already sensing the gut-wrenching news, listens in horror as the officer delivers the following message: “The commandant of the Marine Corps has entrusted me to express his deep regret that your son John was killed in action on Friday, March 26. The commandant and the Marine Corps extend their deepest sympathy to you and your family in your loss.”
“This is the nightmare that thousands have had to endure, thousands fear could happen to them at any time,” says Glenn.
“312 parents experienced what I just described in 2003 alone; in 2007, 847 military men and women died in combat; in 2008, 352; in 2009, 346 — and the list and the numbers go on and on,” he recounts.
This Memorial Day, as we gather with friends and family, Glenn hopes that we will take time to remember the true meaning of this somber holiday.
“I'm not trying to be a downer here, but there is a sacredness to Memorial Day that most of us just cannot understand,” he says.
Glenn concludes by reading John 15:13: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
“This weekend, remember the honor, the love of country, the families. Together they represent the absolute best of all of us.”
To hear Glenn deliver this touching monologue, watch the video above.
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