The day started out very gloomy, gray and rainy. We showered, dressed and headed to Fall Church, VA not far from the days events. My excitement was building in a strange kind of way. I haven't seen my best friend of over 20 years in about seven months and I couldn't wait to see her. Oddly enough I believe her Father would have understood that.
However, the reason I was headed to Virginia was to help my friend and her family say farewell to her father. He was retired Navy and was to be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.
In the past I have only heard about what this event entails or seen it on TV but never witnessed it first hand. Experiencing it live is one of the most serene, breath-taking, reverent moments of my life. As we entered the cemetery we saw the rolling green hills, lined with the white headstones in amazing perfection.
As we waited for the events of the ceremony to get started, we watched the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown solider. Speechless as I was after that, watching my friend and her brother walk hand in hand behind the horse drawn carriage, I found tears just gentling rolling down my face.
This day I will remember the crisp, clean, white Navy uniforms, the impeccable perfection at the way they folded the American flag, the stunning amount of medals each solider displayed on his chest but most of all the words I heard are in blazed in my memory. "On behalf of the President of the United States and a Grateful Nation....." at that point the tears just fell in a slow steady stream.
I'm not going to lie I almost fell over when the 21 gun salute started. I knew it would happen but I wasn't paying attention to see they were getting ready. At the beginning of "Taps" I looked up at the sky and the gray clouds were gone and all you could see over the green rolling hills were blue sky and sunshine.
"Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Brett for the kiss of sunshine".
Probably the one thing I was most unprepared for was the letters my friend and her brother read out loud to their father before they closed the crypt in the columbarium. It was a final farewell that was sweet, honest and would have made him very proud.
Thank you Justine and James for including my family with yours. I will treasure the memory forever.
On a side note: You will see no pictures not even of my friend and I those few days because I of all people forgot my camera. I know my dad just let out a huge sigh. Of all the places to go and forget your camera this should not have been one of them.
TTFN~
No comments:
Post a Comment