Only by the grace of God and the sacrifice of thousands of brave men and women do we live in the greatest country in the history of the world — a country that permits privileges, rights and liberties beyond the wildest dreams and imaginations of most of the world's population. This Memorial Day weekend will be filled with family picnics, cookouts, local parades and joyous outings with family members, but it means much more than merely an extra day off work and time for summer to truly start.