After Memorial Day: Keep Showing Up
Remembrance, carried forward.
May 2026 Reflection · The Rinaldi Project
When Memorial Day ends, the calendar moves forward. The responsibility to remember stays with us.
We remember the people who died in service to our country. We remember the families who carry their absence. And we ask how that remembrance can shape the way we show up for one another throughout the year.
Make room for remembrance
In April, we wrote about preparing for Murph and the community that forms when people take on something difficult together. Looking back on May, the question worth carrying forward is simple: what happens after the gathering, the workout, or the moment of silence?
There is room for a quiet answer. Remember a name. Listen when a family wants to share a story. Make space for someone who experiences the day differently than you do. Remembrance does not need an audience to matter.
Carry service into everyday life
That willingness to be present can also guide how we support the living members of our military community.
Leaving the service brings practical questions. How do I explain my experience to an employer? Which education path fits my goals? Where do I begin with benefits? How will these decisions affect my family?
At The Rinaldi Project, we help veterans and military families work through those questions. Our support is free and personal: resume translation, interview preparation, education and benefits navigation, and meaningful introductions.
The work often begins with an unfinished resume, an uncertain plan, and a conversation. Progress can start with someone willing to listen and help identify the next step.
Choose one way to keep showing up
You do not need a large platform to make yourself useful. Choose an action you can follow through on:
Make the check-in specific. Ask someone navigating a transition what decision they are working through this week.
Offer a thoughtful introduction. With permission from both people, connect them with someone who can offer relevant career or education perspective.
Share practical support. Let a veteran or military family know they can book a free conversation with TRP, even if they do not yet know where to begin.
A small commitment becomes meaningful when we keep it.
Help keep this support within reach
Free support still takes time, coordination, and follow-through. Donations help sustain the organization behind that work.
If you have room in your budget, consider giving $20 a month. TRP also offers $35, $50, and custom monthly amounts. Choose the Monthly donation section on our giving page and select what works for you.
We can give remembrance the respect it deserves and let it deepen our commitment to one another in the months ahead.
Need support yourself? Book a free 30-minute call. You do not need a finished plan to reach out.
— The Rinaldi Project