~and some of those people were soldiers~

Happy Independence Day 2015 everyone~
"Old Glory" has withstood the test of time and trials.  
Truly, long may she wave.

On our first 4th of July together, Mike and I visited the traveling wall that honors the over 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in the service of our country in the tiny southeastern Asian nation of Vietnam.  It was a very humbling experience to see it at Baldridge Park in our old home in Montrose, Colorado.  Having never seen the full size and permanent one in Washington, D.C., I was glad to finally have the chance to at least see it in its smaller scale form.  

It was time well spent.

I went to pay my respect to all of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.  I was looking for the names of 3 men in particular.  Two of them were from my hometown of Haven, Kansas and were killed in action just a few weeks apart in June of 1967.

And I found them.

Sergio Albert was the brother of a high school friend of mine. 

He was laid to rest in Laurel Cemetery, a beautiful and peaceful place between Haven and Yoder, Kansas.  His grave is covered with the inscription of a letter he wrote to his parents telling them that he was not afraid to die.

Henry Fisher was in my sister's class in school and had only graduated from high school 2 years before.

Henry was buried in the same rural cemetery as Sergio was.  Each time I go home to Haven for a visit I try to stop by their graves and pause for a moment in time to remember them.  I was only 12 years old back in 1967.  Life was just beginning for me yet for these two young men life was now over.  

You know, I write in this blog for many reasons, one of which is to chronicle my life as a virtual diary of sorts for my children and grandchildren to remember me by.  But today I have a different reason and that reason is this.

I want to honor my country and by the way, it's your country too.  I stay far removed from political controversy on purpose.  There are other times and other places for that.  As Americans we need to continue to realize that the price tag for our freedom has been paid for by the blood of men and women throughout our history. Henry and Sergio were only two of them.  We continue on life's way each and every day, forgetting most times just how "free" we really are.  

I am so very guilty of that.  How about you?

So today if you get the chance to go to a great July 4th parade, watch for that beautiful flag to come by you.  Teach your children and grandchildren to stop and be quiet for that moment, to remove their hats and to place their right hand over their heart as they keep their eyes on our country's flag.   Showing respect for the flag is showing respect for its people.

And some of those people were soldiers.