This Memorial Day does not herald summer

There was a time -- perhaps during the boom years of the late 1990s,

when the future seemed impossibly bright -- that Memorial Day was

more a celebration of the beginning of summer than a somber

remembrance of those who died serving our country. The men and women

of our armed services were largely out of our minds; our focus was on

almost anything but war.

This year, again, all that has changed as the men and women who

serve our country do so under incalculable risk, under daily threats

of harm in all parts of the world. Iraq and Afghanistan are still

troubled and dangerous and, of course, are at the very center of our

worries. We do not know where, or when -- let us hope never -- these

men and women may be asked to serve next.

Tomorrow, for them, signals no summer.

Tomorrow, for us, should be a time when we set aside thoughts of

the beach and vacations, and remember those fighting today and those

who have fought, and died, in days past.

Newport-Mesa has been fortunate since last Memorial Day. Our only

brush with death was last summer, when the community rallied around a

woman who worked at the Rubio’s in the Costa Mesa Courtyards. Her

husband had been killed in Iraq in the spring, just months after she

became pregnant.

Since then, Newport Beach also has adopted Camp Pendleton 1st

Battalion, 1st Marines. Our thoughts, and the thoughts of the

community, are with them and their families.

As we said a year ago, the war in Iraq has provided all of us,

those who supported it and those who opposed it, with a new

generation of heroes.

Twice a year, on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, this country stops

to pay homage to those who have served and sacrificed. The pictures

and stories that continue to come from Iraq are a haunting, vivid

reminder that two days is just the tip of all the thanks they

deserve.

On Monday, all in this community should take time to remember

those who have fought to keep America safe and those who gave their

lives serving this country. We all should also remember that, even

now, there are men and women once again at war.