Do you agree with this statement written by a popular New York City blogger:

“The pampering of the modern mind has resulted in a population that feels deserving of something without earning that something, a population that feels they have a right to something without sacrificing for it.”

And then the second part gets even more direct, “People declare themselves experts, entrepreneurs, inventors, mavericks, and coaches without any real-life experience. And they do this not because they actually think they are greater than everybody else; they do it because they feel that they need to be great to be accepted in a world that broadcasts only the extraordinary.”

In a word, people want to be great without earning greatness.

But there was a day when people did great things because they just wanted to be normal. Their goal was never to be greater than others, and that is precisely what made them so great. That is why we remember them.

Take for instance a man by the name of Charles Borromeo Weeks, a simple man who came from the poor urban area of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1918 he joined Company D of the 28th infantry unit of the United States Army to fight the Germans in World War 1. Stationed at the Western Front, the 28th Expeditionary Force was sent to help fight in the last major battle against the Germans in the Meuse-Argonne offensive in France. The purpose of this engagement was to help end the war and utterly stop the German advance. During this mission on the massive front lines, Charles Borromeo jumped into an American trench to avoid German machine-gun fire. In that muddy rat infested hole-in-the-ground lingered green clouds of mustard gas which burned the skin on both of Charles’ legs. 

The 47 day battle in the Argonne Forest was the deadliest American offensive in the whole war and it included both heavy artillery, bayonets and hand to hand combat resulting in over 25,000 American deaths and 95,000 wounded in battle. This battle ended in the surrender of the German army a few months later on November 11, 1918. Many of the survivors of the 28th were able to march through the Arch de Triumph in Paris celebrating the Allies victory and defeat of the Germans, which included my grandfather Charles Borromeo.

Years later his son, Donald Charles Weeks noticed the scars on his dad’s legs from the mustard gas and asked him why he was willing to sacrifice his life so far away from home, even crossing the ocean to get to France. His reply was simple, “Freedom takes sacrifice, and plus, it was my duty to serve.” Nothing else was said, nor was any sympathy or applause expected from him in return. Charles Borromeo earned many meritorious medals in the war and yet he would never allow himself to be considered a great man. He was just a normal soldier. 

But in the eyes of his son and grandson, this normal man did great things.

In a word, Memorial Day is the time to remember people who just wanted to do their duty. They were not looking for greatness. They were not wanting to be extraordinary. They didn’t even feel deserving – freedom for them was something to be earned, and it was costly.

Now freedom and personal success are expected, demanded even. Instead of sacrifice, people insist upon handouts, wanting others to keep them safe. Freedom was once fought hard for, even resulting in scarred legs and possible death. Now freedom is a cheap commodity willing to be traded without struggle. We will gladly give it up just so we don’t have to risk pain, and it seems that so many Americans simply are unwilling to want to sacrifice anymore.

I think Memorial Day is desperately needed. It is for our benefit to remember the people that didn’t expect anything from a country that already gave them everything. Duty and sacrifice is the least we could do. Memorial Day gives us a window back to a time when no one was trying to be an “expert, entrepreneur, inventor, maverick, and life coach”, all they wanted to do is live free, raise a family, and worship their God. They simply wanted to be normal.

What have we gained by trying to be extraordinary? Because we see ourselves so highly are we now unwilling to do those things we think are beneath us…like sacrificing your life for the freedom of others? Jesus didn’t, neither did my grandfather.

Thank you Charles Borromeo Weeks, a grandfather I never knew, for leaving a legacy of sacrifice and a clear example that shows me just how valuable freedom is. And most of all, thank you for being normal.