Memorial Day Reflections...

This Memorial Day weekend, like every national holiday weekend, is filled with special news items that are meant to touch our hearts and our minds with the "true meaning" of the holiday. Some are better than others, but this Memorial Day I was deeply moved by one of these "human interest" stories.

It was about a gentleman by the name of Mike Mullen. Mike takes time out of his frenetically busy schedule to make regular visits to Arlington National Cemetery. In particular, he goes to visit the section where the young men and women who have lost their lives in our most recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been laid to rest. He doesn't necessarily know who they are, but that doesn't matter. He kneels down to say a prayer at their graves. When he was asked why, he simply responded that he "has to be here" to honor those who have given their lives in service of our country.

You might be wondering why the name Mike Mullen sounds familiar. It is because he is Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest ranking military officer in the country. He has been making these visits for many years, long before he rose to such a high office. He makes them because he believes that as an officer he should honor the memory of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. He makes his visits in civilian clothes so that he will not attract attention to himself. His visits are a very private, very personal thing. Had it not been for a very observant reporter, we would never have even known about his devotion to our fallen veterans.

This news story really made me start to think. As a former chaplain in the naval reserves, I had the honor of knowing the son of the Admiral who was at that time the Chief of Naval Operations. As a result, I gained an insight into just how incredibly full and demanding the day to day schedule of such a high ranking officer really is. If Admiral Mullen can make time in his busy schedule to visit these graves on a regular basis, where are our elected representatives? If Admiral Mullen can take the time to pay his respects, why can't the members of the House of Representatives stop by and say a prayer, not just once in a while, but once a week? Where are our Senators? Where is the President, the Vice-President, the Cabinet, the Supreme Court Justices? I'm not talking about the fancy, wreath laying ceremonies that get all of the press coverage to score political points in the media. I am talking about putting on your jogging suit, taking your body guards if you have to, and going out to kneel in prayer at the graves of the young men and women who are dying in these wars. Maybe if our government leaders made a few more visits to Arlington National Cemetery it might motivate some new legislation, or change a policy or two here and there, or maybe even have a positive influence on the next big court decision. I don't pretend to have the answers that will bring about an end to war, but I do think we should all make ourselves aware, very, very aware, of the price that is being paid each day that we wait for those answers to be found.

We don't all have the luxury of living in Washington, D.C., but there are National Cemeteries all across the country and, unfortunately, their number is growing. Maybe we can all take some time out of our busy schedules to visit the graves of those who have given their lives for our country. At the very least on this Memorial Day, maybe we can follow Mike Mullen's example. We can take some time away from our barbecues and yard parties, our parades and our celebrations, to visit the local cemetery. Once you're there, look for a government issue gravestone—you can't miss them. Kneel down. Say a prayer. Thank God for the sacrifice that all of our veterans have made in wars past and present. And pray to God that we will have the wisdom and the strength that we need to fight for the rights of our veterans who are returning home, so that they will know by our love and care for them how much we truly appreciate the sacrifices that they have made for our nation.

Have a Happy and a Holy Memorial Day!