As this holiday weekend approaches I prepared to write a blog about what’s going on at the Bijou this summer. Traditionally Memorial Day weekend signals the start of summer. It’s time for hot dogs and beer and the beach.

But I realized it is time to pause and consider the true meaning of this holiday. Unfortunately, like many other holidays Memorial Day has become another consumer driven occasion to go out and spend money. Whether it’s at the Indy 500 or buying furniture or a new barbeque grill it’s sad that we so easily forget this special day’s true meaning.

Memorial Day represents one day of national awareness and reverence, honoring those American men and women who died defending our Nation and its values.

We should really honor these heroes every day for the ultimate contribution they have made to defending our Nation's freedom but we should honor them especially on Memorial Day.

So this Memorial Day please stop and pay respect to those who died protecting and preserving the freedoms we enjoy, for we owe those honored dead more than we can ever repay.