TGIF! After I finish this day, it's a three day weekend to enjoy the pool, the computer, and my beautiful three year old granddaughter. But let's not forget...it's Memorial Day weekend.

A lot of us have simply forgotten the purpose for Memorial Day. It is a day to remember those people who have sacrificed life and limb in the service of our nation at home and away wearing the uniforms of our military. To them we owe much, not the least of which is our most sincere thanks. That's why, even when I'm collecting past due funds from a customer on my job and they happen to mention a loved one serving in the military, I always ask the customer to pass along my thanks to them for their relative's service to our country. Might cost me points on the quality assurance grade, but it's sincere.

Unfortunately, in today's political scene, there are some who happen to feel that if you don't walk in lockstep with President Bush and his reasoning for going into Iraq along with his plan for our troops there, you are somehow not patroitic and not supporting our military there. That is like the neocoms in the White House that tend to wrap themselves in the flag and believe that somehow they are the only real patriots. That's simply not the truth.

While we may disagree on the reasoning and method of how to proceed in Iraq, we all support our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines whereever they are, and pray for their safe return soon. Please take some time during your happy weekend of family and fun to remember the people who helped provide the safety we all enjoy.