My alma mater, Lindy High School, recently held its senior prom last week, bringing to mind my own end-of-year soirees which took place so many years ago. 

There are many Memorial Day weekend traditions that people enjoy. Most of them tend to involve barbecues and beaches, bathing suits and sunbathing. Few take the time to truly appreciate the meaning of the holiday itself.

I’m always looking for signs. Except when I’m not, which makes them all the more poignant and undeniable.

I remember the day like it was yesterday… which is fairly impressive, considering it was actually 17 years ago, to the day in fact. This momentous occasion of which I speak, on March 8th, 2000, was the date I was told by our high school principal that I was, in fact, “officially” the valedictorian of our senior class.