Today marks the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend in Lawrence County, an area that embraces the holiday as much or more than any community in America.

It isn’t that we are more patriotic than others or that we understand the meaning of Memorial Day better. No, Memorial Day is just more of a four-day event, a homecoming and a time for a variety of activities that bring the community closer together.

From most high schools holding their graduations to the Catholic Community’s Charity Fair to several ceremonies to honor our servicemen and women, Lawrence County has lots of things going on long before the historic parade starts rolling on Monday.

And that is OK.

Memorial Day can be about all those things — and more. It can include all the floats, and all the marching bands and all the other things that make the parade and the weekend in Lawrence County something special.

We hope everyone enjoys this time and enjoys the extra day off work but without losing sight of the reason for the holiday: Our soldiers who have paid the ultimate price.

Many people have said that freedom isn’t free. And that is certainly true.

It is paid for with the blood and sacrifice of America’s men and women who rise to the challenge, putting our country and our nation’s ideals at the forefront.

Those are the real reasons for the holiday and we must not forget that this Memorial Day and each of the other 364 days of the year.

Nothing is wrong with embracing all of the activities and events that make the Lawrence County and Ironton celebration so special. But we each should make a special effort to say thank you to our nation’s heroes, the ones who are still with us and the ones who paid that ultimate price.