05/23/2026
Grief does not follow any holiday calendar. It lives quietly inside ordinary moments, often resurfacing unexpectedly — sometimes as gentle as a soft breeze, other times as a heaviness accompanied by torrents of tears. It’s a natural process, and one unique to each of us.
This week marked two years since my dad passed away, and I find it cathartic to now enter this holiday weekend reflecting on his life.
To me, he was simply my dad. Smart, funny (and at times, embarrassingly so, as expected), spiritual, and loving. I witnessed him navigate both the joys and tragedies of life — moments preserved for family only — yet somehow, he always ended with that infectious smile that hit straight to the soul. He was proud of his three sons and made sure we knew it. Every phone call ended with, “I love you.”
But Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Sanders was also an extraordinary man, as all those called to military service are, who sacrificed so much to preserve the freedoms we too often take for granted. Not just for his family, but for every person who calls this great country home.
MEMORIAL DAY takes all of that to a much deeper level — one we truly need to recognize and reflect upon beyond just a three-day weekend or the “official” start of summer.
I read an incredible article today by Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling that fueled this post, and I hope these words speak to you as well:
“Our freedom and democratic institutions have always depended on ordinary citizens willing to do extraordinary things for one another. It reminds us that some Americans gave every tomorrow they had so others could enjoy their today. And it reminds us that the responsibility of the living is not merely to remember the dead once a year, but to live in a way worthy of their sacrifice.”
“Perhaps on this Memorial Day, as Americans from every background gather, we might do something that’s becoming rare in our divided age: come together quietly as one nation and reflect on what courageous sacrifice for one another truly means.”
“Remember them. Honor them. And above all — make it matter.”
Thank you, Dad, and thank you to all those who sacrificed for the freedoms we have today. You gave me that powerful smile, and I promise to make it matter.
