The Freedoms Of Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. In all the hustle and bustle of a holiday weekend, most people tend to think of Memorial Day more as an opportunity for a day off of work, great sales, and family barbecues. But I like to think—or maybe just hope—somewhere in the back of every person’s mind is the understanding that Memorial Day is a chance to honor those valiant women and men of the armed forces who have died fighting for our country.

Fighting for our county… that’s an interesting phrase here in the context of Reshape the Nation. In a way, I feel like Chris Powell and the entire Reshape team are also fighting for our country. We’re fighting to reshape the nation—to make it a healthier, happier place. We’re not fighting an enemy who attacks us with guns and bombs; we’re fighting an enemy we willingly let into our bodies. And as we let these enemies into our bodies—fried foods, fatty foods, chemical-filled foods—perhaps we can all take a moment today to remind ourselves that the bodies we can injure or even kill with unhealthy decisions are the same bodies our brave countrymen are defending.

Am I arguing healthiness is a patriotic obligation? I think maybe I am. It’s more than that as well. It’s a personal obligation, and it’s an obligation to those people we love and who love us. But in the spirit of the day, let’s focus on the patriotic perspective. Thousands and thousands of very brave men and women have given their lives to protect ours. We can repay their sacrifices by honoring and cherishing the very lives those sacrifices have saved—our lives.

As I write today’s post, I realize that yes, the very sacrifices made for our country also protect our right to eat whatever we want, exercise as little as we want, and pollute our bodies to our hearts contents (or rather, discontent). I respect that right also. In fact, I’m proud of that right. It’s part of what makes America great—the right to choose our own destinies. But this Memorial Day, as I reflect upon those sacrifices of the men and women of the armed forces, I’m going to exercise the freedoms they’ve protected so valiantly by working hard to live the happiest, healthiest, most successful life I can. I hope you’ll join me in exercising your ability to make those same healthy choices. And, whatever choices you do make, I hope you’ll also join me in thanking the men and women of our armed forces for protecting the very freedom allowing us the right to choose.

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