We must NEVER FORGET - ever

Tonight, or rather, this morning (since it's 12:29 a.m.) my heart is heavy. Sleep eludes me, as it always does the night of a PGR mission for our fallen hero. Tonight, there were eight of us who were able (on 3 hours' notice) to appear at the fallen Hero's church to stand to honor him. We lined up on each side of the doorway, holding our flags, and stood there for a couple hours or so (guessing, I wasn't watching the time closely) as family and friends went in to pay their respects. Toward the end of the evening, we put our flags away and went in to pay our own respects to SPC Smith and his family. There were hundreds of people there, it seemed (this was a large church). This young man was very well-loved. We got in line to walk by the casket to pay our respects, one by one. When my turn came, I cried... and cried some more. I looked at him, this dear young soldier who gave EVERYTHING for our country, for us... and my heart broke. I wept by his casket for a moment, and before I totally 'lost it' even more, walked away, shaking the hands of his family members as I went by (as the others before me had done). That part of our mission was then complete. Tomorrow, this young hero will be laid to rest. I have to work and won't be there...but my heart sure will be... and the flag in my front yard will remain at half-mast until I get home from work tomorrow, in his honor.

NEVER forget our fallen. NEVER forget their families, who must go on without them. Pray for them and stand by their side and be there for them. And never forget what freedom costs.

For that matter... NEVER FORGET our Veterans, either. It's not an easy thing, to come home from a war and get back to "normal" life again... don't forget them. Pray for them and stand by their side and be there for them. And never forget what freedom costs.

No matter what...we must remember.