Memorial Day 2026

Two thoughts in conflict

John Singer Sargent (American, Florence 1856–1925 London), Two Soldiers at Arras, 1918, Watercolor and graphite on paper, 6 7/8 × 9 1/2 in., Gift of Jacqueline Loewe Fowler, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Memorial Day 2026

We remember family, friends and all those who serve. I am far from having any kind of military bearing. I hate war intensely. At the same time, I understand human frailty and the complexities of history.

I think as the human species we rely too heavily on wars remedy. We reinvent tragedy as glory and too casually turn to arms instead of remaining stubborn in pursuit of justice.

And yet the sacrifice and courage in the face of wars unimaginable horror can’t help but affect me. These two conflicting thoughts form the dilemma that chases me down today: the absurd drive of war’s insistence and the fierce honor it leaves in its wake.