“This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:12-13

In this first hour of March 23, 2022, I find no sleep so I may as well write. It would be my brother’s sixtieth birthday, the first since his passing. I suppose I will always feel protective of his memory just as I feel I should have been protective of him in childhood. I’ve written the following in observation of his birthday, and in honor of his proudest moments. If it sounds sad, it’s because I am sad he left so soon. Life can be sad, but life is still good, and he’d be the one to say, “Oh well…”.

THE RIFLE SHELL

A VFW gun salute shakes the silence of the air,

and over the flag covered casket is said a final prayer.

Lil’ Brother, a dad, a friend laid to rest

wearing his dress blues, the sun in the west.

Memories fill our hearts and flood our eyes

as the shots ring toward the cold blue sky.

A brass shell casing picked up from the ground

has a design inside where six points can be found.

I see one point for the courage to say “I will”

and one for the sacrifice because the risk is real.

One point stands for loyalty to country and brother,

and one for humility, heroes they claim, is someone other.

One point is for pain, in body and mind

as they endure training and leave home behind.

The last point, for loneliness, though in a sea of the same –

where all wear proudly a common name –

yet all left all familiar to them alone. And now once again he travels on.

Heroes don’t always die in active duty. They may bring home a scarred heart and torn life they die trying to paste back together again. Still others survive to live out a full and beautiful life, and become someone else’s hero. Thank you to Mark and all service men and women for your courage, sacrifice and loyalty to country and each other. I am sorry for the pain and loneliness you felt, and the humility with which you carried it all. Even though Mark isn’t here, I couldn’t let his “big six-o” go by without a special “Happy Birthday”. Love, Sis