The Final Roll Call
Recently, one of Jennifer’s husband’s soldiers was killed while on duty in Iraq. Yesterday was the stateside memorial service. She describes it in her post Requiem for Heroes.
I have never been to a memorial, only vets’ funerals. I’ve only ever seen a memorial on television and witnessed what Jennifer described about roll call. I can’t help but be reminded that the Pope was called for, by the name his mother gave him, after he had died.
There is something so intimate about one’s name, and something so heartbreaking about the owner not answering to it, but the true pain is in knowing why they aren’t answering… It means they’ve gone on ahead Home and we’ll have to wait here without them until it’s our turn.
January 19th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Oh, Nissa, I know just what you mean about calling the name. I had the same thought, “They called for Karol, too.” Neither did he answer.
It is an excellent reminder that our brave heroes are not just numbers on the news or “good agenda-driven television”. Our soldiers are people, just like you and me.
Thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Jennifer