The Cost of Freedom, The Strength of Love.

Why I’ll Stand and Speak: Remembering Those Who Never Came Home.

As I Prepare to Speak on Memorial Day: I Pause to Remember the Cost of Freedom.

This weekend, I’ll have the honor of speaking at the Memorial Day service in Shoshone, Idaho—a community deeply rooted in faith, family, and patriotism. As I prepare my remarks, I find myself reflecting not just on what I will say, but on what this day truly means.

Memorial Day is not just a long weekend. It is a sacred pause. A national moment to remember the brave men and women who laid down their lives in defense of this nation. It is a day set aside not to celebrate freedom, but to reflect on the cost of it.

Each fallen service member was someone’s son or daughter, a parent, a sibling, a friend. They were more than names etched in stone. They were lives of purpose and promise, interrupted so that we could live freely. Their absence echoes in the lives of those who loved them, and their sacrifice demands not only our gratitude—but our attention.

As Scripture reminds us in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”That verse holds the heart of Memorial Day. It is a truth not just spoken, but lived—by every fallen veteran we honor.

As I prepare to speak, I do so not only as a State Senator, but as a mother, daughter, niece, aunt, and granddaughter of courageous men who have served this country in nearly every war since the Civil War. This legacy is woven through my family, and through it, I have come to understand something deeply true: when one family member serves, the entire family serves. It’s a sacrifice felt in kitchen tables missing a seat, phone calls filled with worry, and futures forever altered.

I am also a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary Post 3001. I’ve stood at memorials, bugle in hand, playing Taps for our fallen. I’ve watched with tear-filled eyes as comrades fold flags with honor and fire three shots into the air—a final salute to those who gave all. I’ve witnessed families grieve with pride, bound together by a loss no words can mend.

This year, I will again speak these truths aloud—not because they are easy, but because they are necessary. We must remember. We must teach our children. We must live lives worthy of their sacrifice.

President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” And Founding Father John Adams reminded us, “Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.”

These are not just historical quotes—they are marching orders. As we gather in Shoshone and across the nation, let us recommit to honoring our fallen not just with our words, but with our lives.

To our Gold Star Families—you are not forgotten. Your courage humbles us. Your pain reminds us that the cost of war is never over. Your sacrifice is one we carry with us, as a nation and as neighbors.

To Danny Larsen—thank you for the invitation to speak and for your tireless dedication to honoring our veterans. It is because of your heart to serve that the stories of our heroes live on.

I look forward to standing with my community this Memorial Day. Not just to speak—but to remember, to honor, and to renew our promise to those who paid the ultimate price.

May God bless our fallen veterans. May He comfort the families who mourn. And may He continue to guide and protect the United States of America.

With reverence and resolve,
Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld