I love Memorial Day.

To me, it has always meant BBQs, sundresses, lazy days spent on the beach and, most importantly, the official beginning of summer. It’s a time to wave those American flags high and feel a heightened sense of our national community.

Unfortunately, with all the veggie dogs and Sierra Nevada bottles, Memorial Day can quickly become a mindless holiday—if we let it. So this year, I’m making it my most mindful Memorial Day yet.

Just taking time to step away from the grill and be…really be with the people who spent their lives on us—on me—is my priority, this year. And although Memorial Day is traditionally about people who have died for this country, let’s also honor those who are fighting for us as I speak.

Let’s turn down the volume of our summer-psyched minds and connect with the men and women who continue to risk their lives for us everyday. If we all take tomorrow as a day to send some love to our troops, it will be a day well spent.

Sure, celebrating this country at a BBQ with the people I love is a great way to show some patriotic love. But keeping it mindful of the people this holiday is really about makes all the difference.

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Cat Snyder is a student of cultural anthropology and peace and conflict studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Growing up on a small island off the coast of New Jersey, she is a beach girl at heart, but her love affair with the mountains of Colorado began four years ago. After her trip to India last fall, she has learned to appreciate the chaos and magic of travel. In her free time, she enjoys running, kundalini meditation, and meeting new people. Friend her on Facebook.