Arlington Cemetery

Friday afternoon we had the honor of attending the funeral service of a brave fallen soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. On Memorial Day 2006, the President delivered a speech at Arlington Cemetery that mentioned this brave soldier. He had been killed by a terrorist bomb, and before he left he had given his parents a letter in case he didn't return. He wrote: "Remember that my leaving was in the service of something that we loved, and be proud. The best way to pay respect is to value why a sacrifice was made." When his family held the funeral service this past Friday they invited Brendon to attend. It was a touching service, and I was overwhelmed by the sacrifice that so many people have made for the freedoms I enjoy. Looking around at the gravestones we noticed how young most of the soldiers were. The man that officiated the ceremony made wonderful remarks filled with hope and respect, and he used a phrase that stuck with me: "In life he honored the flag, in death the flag honors him".