5/30/16, Memorial Day

Hi Everyone,

I hope that wherever you are, you have a holiday, and are taking the day off today!! The Memorial Day weekend is special because it is the unofficial start of summer, even though summer doesn’t really start until June 21st. But this is the first long weekend of warmer days, with the promise of real summer just lining up. Kids are almost finished with school, college kids already are. Summer plans, summer jobs, summer days, summer camp, we have all of that still in store for us!!

I’ve been to two graduations in the last week, both of which meant a lot to me. One was the business school graduation of a young man who is very, very dear to my family, and to me. He has been part of our family for the past fifteen years. So I went to LA last week to attend his graduation. He worked hard for that degree, and I wanted to be there to cheer him on, and watch him receive it. I got up at 4 am, to be sure I wasn’t late, left my hotel at 6am, for the drive to his University, and be at the graduation when it started promptly at 8 am. I had lunch with him afterwards, with him and his friends and family, and then went back to San Francisco, with cherished memories of a special day, and very very proud of him.

Two days later, another graduate who is dear to my heart had her high school graduation. And I was watching young people in caps and gowns lining up for their diplomas once again. The high school seniors were livelier than their graduate school counterparts, and it was fun, an exciting moment that I felt privileged to share.

So with two graduations under my belt, summer is definitely just around the corner!!!

I’m spending this Memorial Day quietly working. I’ve never been exactly sure about the meaning of Memorial Day, if it was to remember one’s lost loved ones, or about Veterans, so I looked it up, and as you all probably know, it is to honor the men and women fallen in wars. And apparently the tradition began after the Civil War. So today, we honor the brave men and women who have defended us, and lost their lives in the wars, in service to their country. We are grateful to them for the freedoms they have protected and gave their lives for, and for keeping us safe. It’s a serious holiday, with a noble purpose.

I hope that you’ve had a wonderful day, and will have a happy week ahead. I still have lots of work to do, before I can abandon myself to the lazy days of summer a little later. I have to earn some time off first!!!

Take good care, and have a great week!!

love, Danielle