Flag Gently Placed in Hands of a Broken Mother

Guest Post
On Behalf of a Grateful Nation
Elmer Miguel
May 11, 2017

"The family, sobbing quietly, held one another and stared at the flag awaiting the ceremony. It would soon be presented, triangular and crisp, gently placed in the hands of a broken mother."

A crowd huddled around the flag draped casket. Pewter and silver opposed the bold bright colors of the cloth. She did not wave on this day, rather she lay solemnly embracing the venerated Marine beneath.

The family, sobbing quietly, held one another and stared at the flag awaiting the ceremony. It would soon be presented, triangular and crisp, gently placed in the hands of a broken mother.

The surviving warriors, those who had been scorched by the flames of warfare, wished he was still alive yet coveted his glory. They dreamed of dying in close combat as he did, fierce and loud as a hurricane. Their hearts, normally happy and strong, now crushed by the finality of the grave. What once was a possibility in the mind now was a reality in the flesh. Their shoulders strained under the heaviness of his body as they carried him to the grave. Disbelief, sorrow, and pride spilled from their chests. With stern faces and focused stares into the skyline, they refused to break military bearing though their eyes were on the brink of bursting. In those moments a few tears seeped through the hardiest defenses.

“On behalf of the President of the United States, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for Wade’s honorable and faithful service.”
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