Today is Memorial Day. On this day, we give honor our Nation’s defenders — those who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as those who served and are no longer with us. Our brave military men and sacrifice so much when they serve. They leave their families—mothers, fathers, wives, sons, and daughters0s. Some don’t come home, and some who do struggle for a long time after their service. Freedom comes with a price. As you enjoy this day with your family and friends today, please remember to give thanks for those who gave their lives to defend the freedom we enjoy.

These ten quotes from former presidents remind us of freedom’s high cost.

1. 1. Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism. —George Washington

1. 1. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. —Thomas Jefferson

1. 1. Heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion. —Calvin Coolidge

1. 1. They do not need our praise. They do not need that our admiration should sustain them. There is no immortality that is safer than theirs. We come not for their sakes but for our own, in order that we may drink at the same springs of inspiration from which they themselves drank. —Woodrow Wilson

1. 1. In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved. —Franklin D. Roosevelt

1. 1. Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices. —Harry S. Truman

1. 1. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. —John F. Kennedy

1. 1. This Memorial Day should remind us of the greatness that past generations of Americans achieved from Valley Forge to Vietnam, and it should inspire us with the determination to keep America great and free by keeping America safe and strong in our own time, a time of unique destiny and opportunity for our nation. —Richard Nixon

1. 1. I don’t have to tell you how fragile this precious gift of freedom is. Every time we hear, watch, or read the news, we are reminded that liberty is a rare commodity in this world. —Ronald Reagan

1. Looking across this field, we see the scale of heroism and sacrifice. All who are buried here understood their duty. All stood to protect America. And all carried with them memories of a family that they hoped to keep safe by their sacrifice. —George W. Bush

It takes only a moment to remember those who have died for our country. Remember how fortunate you are to be living in this country.