Happy Memorial Day! We use this day to honor those who give their lives in service of this country. How do we do this though? I mean, I’m normal. I like an extra day off. But do we use this day off to really honor the fallen? Maybe some do, but for many its a BBQ day, a home improvement day, or a retail sales day. Going further, even if we treat this day with the reverence that is intended, a bigger question remains: do we live a life that honors all who came before us? Those who sacrificed for our freedom. Those who invested in us with their time, talent, resources, experiences, and knowledge. Those who came before as ancestors. We, as Americans. love the idea of a rebel. We love independence. The greater truth is this: we are an amalgam of…well, everything. Our history, our experiences, our ancestry, the kindness of strangers, and things/events we may never know of or understand. If we understand this, then here is a truth, in my opinion: the best way to memorialize others and honor all that has made us is to live our best life.
What is a best life? A best life is a life that is healthy, whole, ambitiously chasing goals and dreams, and most of all never accepting mediocrity. This can mean a lot of things to all of us, but let me offer this suggestion to you and myself, even, If we are to live our best lives, we must examine and understand what we believe is the best version of ourselves and chase that vision relentlessly. We are notorious as modern humans for chasing comfort. But does anything good come from comfort. Has greatness ever been born from ease? Does the endless cycle of work, Netflix, sleep help us with the fullness of self realization?
If you’re ready to escape the monotony. If you’re ready to be honest with yourself, then you are ready to become your best self. This could be anything: quitting smoking, an exercise goal, painting a picture, building something, whatever. Pick your path and go! This, in my opinion, is the way that you can best honor everyone who came before you and gave of themselves. My hope for you and for myself, is that we become the best version of ourselves and live a life that truly honors the sacrifices of all who came before us.
In Health, Dr. Graham