Last weekend, popular culture tells us the summer officially began. Actually, summer doesn't begin for a few more weeks yet, with the summer solstice on June 21. But somewhere along the way, Memorial Day weekend became the start of summer in most people's minds.

The Memorial Day holiday did not begin as a time for folks to pack up and head for the beach, or head to the backyard grill for hamburgers and hot dogs. It actually began in May 1868 as a way to honor members of our nation's military who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom to enjoy the beach or grill in the backyard.

The holiday was started by Civil War General John Logan, who was the commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union Army veterans. Gen. Logan began the holiday, first known as Decoration Day, to try to help heal some of the division the country had recently experienced during the Civil War.

It did not become a federal holiday until 1971, when Congress passed the National Holiday Act. Since then, banks, government offices and many other businesses are closed the last Monday in May to celebrate the holiday.

Even so, it's not hard to feel as if we have become disconnected from the true meaning of this holiday, even as news outlets reported on Friday that the American death toll in Afghanistan has surpassed 1,000. The death toll from the war in Iraq surpassed 1,000 long ago, and as of May 28, stood at 4,404.

That's a lot of sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and friends that are never coming home.

Whenever you have a minute, say a little prayer or send positive thoughts to those families that are coping without a loved one so that the United States can remain free. And if you know a veteran, don't forget to thank him or her, too.

After all, freedom is most definitely not free.