M L

ML would call our house when we lived in Utah about 10 to 10pm. Apparently after 10 was too late to call but 10-to-10 was ok. To be honest we would often be watching the last 10 minutes of some TV program we'd watched for the 50 minutes before and really wanted to see the end. Oh I know, it wasn't that important but we almost got to a point where we laughed when we heard the phone ring. He didn't care which one of us he talked to and to share what was on his mind. What a great guy, seriously, he was a great guy with stories that were amazing.

But the image of ML I remember the most clearly was standing in the snow on 11-11 at 11 am by the Flagpole in the Cemetary. It was often a really cold day. More than once in the dozen years we lived in Utah there was snow on the ground. But the small group of folks who came were always moved by the ritual and the honoring that Veteran group who had passed on before. There were fewer who 'remembered' almost every year.

What do we do to honor those who have gone before? What do we do to honor those who are now engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan and all around the world?

Let us pray for peace. Let us pray for the world that the cover of peace would be with all people. That we are the first to bring that love where we are and to pass it on and on and on.

God abides, always has, always will.

Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2006