Let’s admit it. The Memorial Day weekend stands out as a period of time off, where backyard barbecues or a long trip to see family and friends, are the mainstays. The holiday also marks the unofficial start of the summer season.

Yet Memorial Day isn’t about barbecues or road trips. The holiday — initially dubbed Decoration Day — is about honoring all the service members who have died defending our great nation.

The holiday was officially instituted by the Congress in 1971. The holiday can trace its roots to a period after the Civil War.

We’ve designated two holidays — Memorial Day and Veterans Day — to honor those who have served our nation in the Armed Forces.

Yet Memorial Day is geared to honor all of those who died serving our nation, while Veterans Day is focused on those who served.

In a time of relative peace, such as now, it can be easy to view either holiday as time off from work to be with family and friends and to relax.

Each holiday, though, is really about honoring and remembering those who have given so much for our nation in a time of crisis. We, as a nation, state and region, must always guard against taking those sacrifices for granted. Collectively, we owe a great debt to those who perished defending our nation’s interests, a debt we will never be able to repay.

So, when you are out this weekend, enjoying that grilled steak, hamburger or hot dog, take a moment to remember those barbecue treats are possible only because of a harsh down-payment made by countless men and women across the nation.

We must always remember those who have fallen, who gave it all, for our country. Our form of democracy has a lot of problems. We face numerous challenges, yet, in the end, we actually do live in one of the greatest nations on earth and we should know that our fruits of success come only through the sacrifice of many.

Andrew Cutler is the publisher of the Hermiston Herald.