Patriotism — pray for our nation

We are fast approaching what has been called the most patriotic day of the year — the 4th of July. In recent years I mentally and spiritually journey back to a day at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Our family gathered there for the military funeral of my oldest brother. Allan was an Air Force pilot and veteran of what he called the War in South East Asia. He had been awarded four Purple Hearts and a plethora of medals of valor including the Loatian Medal of Honor..

His military burial service was deeply moving and inspiring. Still on soft summer nights I imagine hearing “Taps” as we heard it that day. The last line of the lyrics is, “To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.”

My brother was a very spiritual man. He carried a small cross in his flight suit on every mission. He also gathered together all the pilots that would be flying on the mission and holding hands they prayed.

We had arrived early enough to walk the hallowed grounds of the cemetery. In the oldest section interspaced among the more typical graves were the graves of children. They were identified as having been cabin boys, powder “monkeys,” drummers, runners and other named duties. I had known about their sacrifices but had not really remembered their contributions until I read their grave markers.

At this time of the year I also remember a night at the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Correctional unit. I began the worship service that night by asking the women that had come to the service if any of them knew anyone in their family that were veterans. Two women raised their hands and said that they were veterans. It was not the answer I was expecting and both women were surprised to learn of the other woman’s service in the U.S. Army. I asked both of them if they felt comfortable telling us about their military experiences and they did. One woman had completed two tours of duty in Iraq and the other had completed a tour of duty in Iraq and another in Afghanistan. Both had been injured and both had been honorably discharged. Both also had been diagnosed with experiencing PTSD.

As I write this article there has been another tragic shooting in our land. This time it was in Washington, D.C., at a practice session attended by Republican Representatives preparing for the annual charity softball game against the Democrat Representatives. Police responding to the shooting were also shot as was the gunman — an American.

We need a healer. We need to all travel to Arlington National Cemetery and walk the hallowed grounds and hear in our hearts the poignant sounds of the bugler playing “Taps.”

The problems we face as a nation are many and the solutions are complex and the inconvenient truth is that it took many years to reach this point of irrational and uncontrollable violence. What we the people can do is to pray for our nation, our service men and women, our first responders and then believe as the folding money in our pockets proclaim, “In God we trust.”