Once upon a few years ago, I worked at a local funeral home/cemetery. My mom still works there. It was easily one of the best jobs I've had. And many days I still miss it.
Memorial Day weekend is a big weekend for the funeral home. They present a program to honor and commemorate those who served in the Armed Forces and gave their all: those who died while serving. Every year, each veteran's grave is marked with an American flag. But for those 18 men who gave their lives, whose final resting place is this memorial park, the funeral home also does an additional honor. This year their graves were specially marked with placards. And tonight, at their annual Memorial Day program, their names were read, along with the war in which they served and died and their death date; and a bell was rung for each. This was the first year I saw this part (it may have been in last year's program, but we didn't attend with our 2-day old), and I have to say it was a sacred experience.
Those men died, that I might enjoy the freedoms I have. It is humbling.
The program is beautiful, and I am grateful for such events, which allow me to honor, even in the small way of simply attending the program, those men (and women) who have served this country and died for the cause. It is a humbling reminder that freedom isn't free.
What are you grateful for today?
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