Memorial Day: Freedom Is Never Free

Memorial Day is more than the beginning of summer. It is more than cookouts, flags waving in the breeze, or time spent with family. It is a sacred reminder that the freedoms we enjoy every single day were paid for by brave men and women who gave everything for this nation.

Freedom is not free.

Every right we possess—the freedom to speak, to worship, to dream, to disagree, to build a life for ourselves and our families—exists because generations of Americans stood willing to defend it. Some never came home. Some carried scars the rest of their lives. Some gave their futures so that we could have ours.

That sacrifice should never be forgotten.

I think sometimes people lose sight of what the United States truly stands for. We become so caught up in division, anger, and complaints that we forget how extraordinary this nation really is. America is imperfect because people are imperfect, but there has never been another country that has fought so fiercely for the ideals of liberty, opportunity, and individual freedom.

Be proud to be an American.

Be proud you live in the United States of America.

There are countless people around the world who dream of the freedoms we often take for granted. The very fact that people can openly criticize this country—say whatever they wish, no matter how foolish it may sound—is itself proof of the freedom protected by this nation and by those who served it.

That freedom matters.

And while people have every right to speak their minds, we also have the responsibility not to lose sight of truth, gratitude, and perspective.

This is still the greatest country in the world.

Never forget that the American way of life is precious. It was defended on battlefields by ordinary men and women who believed this nation was worth protecting. They believed future generations mattered. They believed freedom mattered.

I know I believe it.

I would never have written Winds of Betrayal, an American historical romance rooted in the sacrifices and struggles of our nation’s past, if I did not deeply love this country and respect those who fought for it.

So today, fly the flag proudly.

Teach your children what Memorial Day truly means.

Honor those who served.

Remember those who never returned home.

And above all else, never take your freedoms for granted.

Because somewhere in our nation’s history, someone gave their life so you could live yours freely.

God bless those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

And God bless America.