A Silent Visit.I made a trip today to the cemetery where my wife’s grandfather was laid to rest in January of 2015.
It was the first time that I had been back in quite a while. The family had yet to see the marker upon his grave. I took a couple of pictures brought them back show them to my mother-in-law, Aunt and Pam’s grandmother.
They all admired the white stone with the engraving of his name, war, and phrase at the bottom of it. It brought back memories of love and care.
While at the cemetery, (it was The Veterans Cemetery in Radcliffe Kentucky) I spent some time just thinking. As I looked around at the hundreds of white stone that signified a soldier and their spouse. I listened to the silence. Yes, the silence. It wasn’t eerie it wasn’t scary. In fact, it was kind of strong. Maybe a sense of no fear among those mighty ones who were late to rest.
As I gazed out all the silence I thought of these things:
Selflessness – seeing individuals buried from all of the wars made me think about the selfless attitude that was displayed among these men and women to give back to our country and back to God.
Sacrifice – these individuals many lay down their life during war, many of them lived through war and many of them died in old age but never forgot what they did for our country and for God.
They understood the scripture that says “greater love has no man than this, then to lay down his life for his friend”
Success – I believe that those who diligently served during every war and peace time, are a success!
I remember at the funeral the playing of “taps” the simple little notes that mean so much at the end of the day and at the end of the soldiers life.
The words ring especially true:
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh
Rest well, Pa
Jerry Elder 