A memorial is for the living

This morning I woke up at dawn and made my way to the Evergreen Cemetery. I had no particular destination in mind. I parked my car, got out and walked. Wandered, really. And I found myself near the back of the cemetery, in a little grove with some old gravestones, mostly from Word War I and World War II. In front, there was a new gravestone, handsomely decorated. It had wind spinners and flowers and at the base, a small statue of a Bald Eagle. The gravestone said Gordon F. Misner II. There was a blanket covering the gravestone. It was carefully draped over the top. I photographed it and returned home. Later, I learned that Sgt. Gordon F. Misner II, just 23, served with the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team and was one of three men killed in a roadside bomb near Samarra. He is survived by his wife Christina and daughters, Haley, Marisa and Natashia. Tom Roeder, the military reporter for the Colorado Springs Gazette, covered a memorial service for him and spoke with his wife. Click here to read Tom's story. It makes me sad when I think of his family. At the same time, today is the day that we should remember his sacrifice, and we should hold his wife and children close to our hearts. — Sean