A quick pause between the beer, hot dogs, and house projects
Memorial Day weekend hits a little different in Portland.
The sun finally decides to show up. Everyone dusts off the grill like it’s been through a war of its own. Coolers get packed. Patios fill up. Home Depot is chaos. Somebody in every neighborhood is mowing their lawn way too early.
And honestly… it’s great.
Long weekends are meant to be enjoyed. Cold beer, hot dogs, friends over. Kids running through sprinklers. Maybe knocking out that backyard project you’ve been putting off since last summer.
But Memorial Day is also one of those holidays that deserves a pause.
Because underneath all the sunshine and BBQ smoke is the real reason we have the day off in the first place.
It’s a day to remember the men and women who gave their lives serving this country. People who never got the chance to come home. People whose families still carry that loss every single day.
And because of that sacrifice, the rest of us get to enjoy the freedoms we often don’t even think twice about.
The freedom to gather with family in our backyard. The freedom to argue over who’s in charge of grilling. The freedom to complain about the weather 9 months out of the year and then act like Portland is paradise the second it hits 72 degrees. The freedom to build a life here.
To buy a home.
To raise kids.
To plant roots somewhere that feels like yours.
Homes are where life happens. They’re where birthdays get celebrated. Where holiday weekends turn into memories. Where flags hang from front porches. Where friends crowd around a patio table with paper plates and too much potato salad.
And while real estate is what I do for work, home has always meant more than property lines and square footage.
It’s comfort. It’s safety, family, community, and belonging.
Things we’re lucky to experience every day, often without even realizing how fortunate we are.
Especially here in Portland, where Memorial Day weekend feels like the unofficial kickoff to summer. Parks are packed, campgrounds are full, trails are busy. Backyards come back to life. Everyone’s outside soaking up every ounce of sunshine we can get.
And that’s worth appreciating!
So enjoy the long weekend.
Fire up the grill. Have the beer. Eat ALL the hot dogs. Sit on the deck a little longer than usual.
But somewhere in the middle of all of it… take a minute.
Remember the people who made that freedom possible. Honor the ones who never made it home. And be grateful for the life we get to live because of them.
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