Freedom is Never Free.

Fourth of July last year a boy scout was earning his Eagle, which is the highest rank you can achieve as a boy scout.

He collected the names of soilders that had lost their lives in the war in Iraq and placed their names on tags. He also told how they lost their lives while defending ours and others rights and freedoms as well. Then attached it to these flags. He called the memorial "Freedom is Never Free". I can't remember the exact number of flags that he had flying that day in the park but it was just rows and rows. It was at least 3-6 names per flag that was honored. It was amazing.

I can't even begin to describe the peace and quite that was on top of that hill that day in the park. I felt like I was stepping on sacred ground. The only noise you heard was the flags flipping back and forth in the wind. I had a moment when I walked pretty far away from everyone to take pictures of the whole memorial and I just remember watching those flags waving back and forth. I was overcome with gratitude for the priviledge that I am blessed with to live in this country and how often I take it for granted.

I was there at 6:30am taking pictures. It was cloudy most that day unfortunately, but that did not stop people from coming. Anyone that came that day was respectful and walked quietly through the flags. I was told later that many family members came and that boy scout gave them that flag that their son, daughter, brother, sister, mother or father's name hung.

I was thinking about this because of the recent decision to deploy soilders for a longer tour. How hard it must be for family members and the soilders themselves, of course, to be away even longer from their loved ones.

Freedom IS Never Free.