Paying Respects

Our morning started off differently today.

At 9:30am, the kids and I were standing along Main Street waiting for the funeral procession of a local Marine to pass. Sgt. William J. Callahan died in Iraq; he was 28 and the new father of a month-old son he never met.

My kids were wearing red, white and blue, and the girls were holding tiny American flags that the Veterans were handing out to everyone. My little man, D, held a cardboard silver star I had found in the basement; as the procession drove slowly past, he held it above his head. There were hundreds of others like us, standing alongside the road, wanting to show the family that we cared.

After the procession had passed, we walked up the street to the church to hear a bagpipe playing Amazing Grace while those attending the funeral entered the church. We stood there for a very long time, and I am so proud of my children for waiting patiently and respectfully even though I am sure they did not quite understand.

Every day I hear the news that another soldier (or two or three or more) has died in Iraq. There have been processions like the one we attended all over the country. I get a lump in my throat every time I think of that little baby, Daniel Allan, who will never meet his father.

I hate this war. And yet, I want something good to come out of it; some change that will leave the Iraqis in a better place and allow our troops to come home. If not, will they have died in vain? For the sake of all those children whose parents will never come home, I hope not.

Comments

  1. Jen Magnuson says

    Poor baby. And mom. I wish it were over, too.

  2. What a devastating loss. And for what?

    *heavy sigh*

  3. toyfoto says

    Wanting this not to be all in vain, is natural. But I’m afraid that the facts are pretty clear: The war was unwarrented and our soliders were sent in harm’s way for no good reason. No good will come of this.

    I’m sorry for your community’s loss. I think our government should be, too.

  4. Heartbreaking. I remember when Belly told me about the solider, I thought to myself, “Why on earth does a six-year-old have to know about soliders dyiing?” This war makes my heart heavy, especially when it hits close to home.

  5. Mrs. Chicky says

    I think your children will carry this memory for some time to come. I think it’s wonderful that you attended the memorial of a man you didn’t know. War be damned.

  6. I’m so torn…hate the war, but it’s hard to know people live like that. But, is it ours to fight…if not us, who? It’s just hard…so sorry for the loss.

    – Jon
    – Daddy Detective
    http://www.daddydetective.com

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