A Memorial

We were on our way home from Hawaii. We were tanned, rested, overfed, nostalgic about leaving and at the same time excited to see the kids. We were at the end of a great trip! As we were about to board the plane, I noticed a tight little family huddled together, dreading the moment of departure. There was a man dressed in his military khakis with what appeared to be his wife and 4-6 year old daughter. I tried not to invade their privacy, but I did see the soldier and his wife in their clutching final embrace which brought tears to my eyes and then the lump in my throat and smothered sob came when the daughter screamed uncontrollably shouting, "Don't go! Daddy Don't go!" And yet that man walked onboard.



A few weeks later we gathered with friends at our airport to cheer for the soldiers returning home. We got there on time and found to our surprise a hundred or more people lining a walkway, ready to do the same thing. They had flags, music playing, signs and big smiles. We stepped up to the line just in time to see the first soldiers walk out into our group. Shouts and clapping continued for twenty minutes as each of these men and women was welcomed back in safety. At the beginning of the line, on each side of the returning soldiers was a line of World War II veterans with their Army hats on. They shook the hand of each soldier, "Welcome home." As I tried to say thank you with my cheers, I found emotion overflowing. How could I possibly ever thank any one of these soldiers adequately? If you live in the Dallas area, call this number to find out when you too can join in the cheering. 972 574-0392

The first thing I think of on Memorial Day is about the armed forces. If you want to help someone currently deployed. Go to http://www.anysoldier.com/ You can adopt a soldier and send them a letter or a package or combine with a group and send them a bunch of stuff.

The next thing I think about on Memorial Day is about my family that has already gone. I know there are graves that will be visited this day and lovingly flowers laid. Great people have come before me and served faithful lives for which I am truly blessed.

Nothing we have is free. It all comes to us at great cost. Our freedoms were won and Constitution written with Divine help and much sacrifice. We too have great responsibilities. When all is said and done and we see our great forebears again, when we stand before God, what can we possibly have contributed that would compare with the sacrifices made of so many others?