Traditionally, summer falls between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It’s full of parades, festivals, fireworks and barbecues. But I don’t think Memorial Day and Labor Day should be remembered only once a year. I have a lot of both days.One of my first Memorial Days was the day my sister was born. I was almost 10 and had two brothers, but this was the first time I really understood what was happening. And I finally had a sister. Another Memorial Day was the day our adoption of Malaika was finalized and her birth certificate said I was her mother. Then there was sitting with my dad and sister early in the morning, holding my mom’s hand as she took her last breath. And a triumphant Memorial Day when I stood on top of Pike’s Peak after a 13.2 mile hike.

Then there are Labor Days. For many, including me, that means bringing a child into the world and raising that child. For me, it’s getting an undergraduate and graduate degree. A huge Labor Day was the day I passed my clinical licensing test.

To me every day is Memorial Day and Labor Day, because every memory and every labor, good or bad, has brought me to this place and this time. And it’s all good.