Memorial Day 2019.
Along with many others in the community in which I live, I stood along Main Street to watch the parade. Fire trucks and ambulances from our community and from several nearby ones, as well. A group of veterans walking. Older ones riding in cars. Children with flags. Some standing. Some riding in the cars or trucks with their parents or grandparents. Also a couple of bands. Drums. Fifes. Bag pipes. People clapped and waved as they do at parades like this. It was a early morning community event. An early morning community celebration. Of course, the bunting on the fire engines and cars was red, white and blue. But as I watched and clapped and thought about it, I began to think that the bunting should have been black.

Memorial Day is about remembering those who have lost their lives in a war. It’s roots are remembering those who lost their lives in the Civil War. The War Between the States. Brother killing brother. Father killing son. Wives with husbands who did not come home. Mothers who wept for their sons. We clapped and waved, and laughed and talked, but the truth is war is hell. Some wars may have more justification than others, but all wars are still hell. And, all wars mean that somewhere along the way we have failed.

The bunting on the fire trucks and cars was red, white and blue.
It should have been black.