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Monday, December 16, 2013

Hail and Farewell

I was at Arlington National Cemetery on Friday, honoring my father at his funeral.


Honor Guard at the Caisson.  the riderless horse can be seen at Left

...and they move off to the gravesite.


It was stately, solemn, respectful and celebratory.  Dad would have loved it.  He would have loved it even more if there had been some little children to sit on his lap and have things explained to them, then told a bedtime story.


Let us now sing the praises of famous men, our ancestors in their generations…
There were those who ruled in their kingdoms, and made a name for themselves by their valor…
all these were honored in their generations, and were the pride of their times.

Some of them have left behind a name, so that others declare their praise.
But of others there is no memory; they have perished as though they had never existed;
they have become as though they had never been born, they and their children after them.

But these also were godly men, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten;
Their offspring will continue forever, and their glory will never be blotted out.
Their bodies are buried in peace, but their name lives on generation after generation.
                                      (from Ecclesiasticus)



4 comments:

  1. Diana, my son was there on Saturday. Are you still in town? Coffee??

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  2. Johanna - I'd have loved to have coffee with you. We drove back almost immediately. Rats! If I'm in DC again, and I plan to be: it's been too long, I'll let you know. My treat.

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  3. Sorry for your loss, Diana. You have done him a great honor today, sharing his life with us. The image of children sitting in his lap is precious.

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  4. Hi Diana .. you certainly did him proud ... and I love the story line of him wanting to be with you .. and with the children wrapped around his knees, or on his lap - constantly questioning ... I'm so pleased you were able to honour him in this way.

    With thoughts - Hilary

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