NOTE: This message was emailed to all Ballad Health team members from Alan Levine, CEO and President of Ballad Health, on May 29, 2022.
Dear Colleague:
Gen. George Patton once said, “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God such men lived.”
Those are incredible words spoken by arguably one of America’s most revered military leaders.
And he is right.
Each Memorial Day, as we celebrate the time with our families and contemplate the sacrifices made by so many for our freedom, it is easy to forget the time we are spending, the food we are eating and the comforts we are enjoying were all paid for by the blood and suffering of those who gave their lives for people they didn’t even know.
And so, yes, General Patton was right. For if these brave men and women did not ever live, who then would have been there to answer the call when our nation sought and won its freedom? Who would have been there to answer the call when Hitler marched through Europe and Japan sought its expansion to our west? Who would have been there to stop the spread of communism in Asia and Europe? And who would be standing guard right now at military installations around the world prepared to defend our great nation against its adversaries?
That these people lived is a legacy that will, and should, last forever. On this Memorial Day, I hope that our time with families will be spent celebrating that these incredible Americans lived, and that we will honor those Americans with actions and words that bring honor to their sacrifice.
Ballad Health is fortunate to have so many of our associates who have served, and still serve, our nation. Each day, we are thankful for their work, their sacrifice and for the sacrifice of their families. We hope and pray they are never among those whose lives we will be celebrating on Memorial Day, but we also live each day in thanks that they are willing to be among them. So, on Memorial Day, as we thank God for those men and women who lived, and died in service, so, too, should we give God our thanks for the fact that we have so many who have lived, are living, and who have volunteered to give their lives if necessary.
If you know a Ballad Health team member who is serving, or if you know someone in your family or otherwise who has served, take the time to ask them about their stories. I’m certain they have many. Their story is a living legacy to the greatness of our freedom.
I wish you and your family a peaceful and joyful Memorial Day holiday!
Alan
