Blue lights shine brightly

Coming into town after dark recently, the first thing I noticed was blue lights.

Not flashing blue lights as from a police car, but blue lights on houses in honor of law enforcement personnel.

Pea Ridge, although not the same small community it was 20 years ago, is still a small community relatively speaking. For the most part, people know their neighbors, the shop keepers, the staff at the local restaurants and the emergency personnel — police, fire and ambulance personnel.

When tragedy struck last June in the killing of Police Officer Kevin Apple, we all felt it.

We all mourned. We were in shock. That kind of thing just didn’t happen here.

The police officers here are our neighbors. Although not all of them live in Pea Ridge, several do. Some have children who attend the schools. We know them, and they know us, by name. We smile and wave when we see each other.

When we read bad news about police officers and horrendous crimes in other areas of our country, we thought “that won’t happen here.”

But, then, Officer Apple was killed and tragedy visited our small town.

And the community rallied in support of one another and the officers. People offered meals to the officers. Flowers and other mementos were placed at both the scene of the tragedy and then beside the police car in front of the station.

The funeral and funeral processional were a testimony to the grief felt by many at this senseless death.

This past week, the Christmas parade grand

marshal was Officer Apple’s mother who quietly rode in the vehicle with Police Chief Lynn Hahn, then attended the Police Department Christmas banquet where she was honored with an award for her son posthumously.

She hesitated, then tearfully spoke about the kindness and support she’s seen and felt from the community.

And the blue lights speak brilliantly to that support.

A couple of pilots have commented on the “blue haze” shining over Pea Ridge after dark.

Regardless of whether you have a family member who serves in law enforcement, you can understand this pain. You may have felt this pain, the pain of burying a loved one way before old age.

In you daily life, you may not have much interaction with police officers, especially if you are typically law abiding. Maybe you’ve been stopped for speeding or been involved in a traffic accident.

The past two years have been extremely unusual with the government responses to the pandemic and schools closing and imposed quarantines. The hardships are excruciating.

But, in the midst of all the pain, the uncertainty, there have been glimmers of hope, acts of kindness, reasons to continue caring, giving, trying to improve.

So, when you see blue lights amidst the colored Christmas lights, take a minute and think of, pray for, consider the men and women who are serving you even when you don’t know they’re there.

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Editor’s note: Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County, chosen the best small weekly newspaper in Arkansas for five years. The opinions expressed are those of the author. She can be reached at abeard@nwaonline.com.