Memorial Day, the official start of summer, a day to gather with family, to BBQ, to see a parade, most importantly a day to remember those that have gone on ahead of us. Driving home this morning after my run in Brunswick I was stopped at the bridge between Harpswell peninsula and Great Island. There in a solemn line, dressed in blue, marching with flags hoisted were a group of local veterans carrying a memorial wreath. Judging by their ages they may have seen those beaches in Normandy, or ridden a half track into Paris, perhaps their time was spent on a ship somewhere in the south pacific. Sitting in my car, watching them take the long march out to the middle of the bridge brought such a lump to my throat. I imagined what they must be remembering, friends lost in their prime, missing family so much it hurt, experiencing death and mayhem at an age when the world should be unfolding for them. I am almost certain they had the faces of those gone, deeply etched into their minds and they were pulling them up as simply as a click in iPhoto does.
I was meant to see this today I am certain, a nudge from the universe to look back and conjure up faces long gone, give them a mental hug and remember their smiles, remember their laughter and remember why I loved them.
Andrew you are on my mind today. I want you to know that I pull you out of my memory almost daily, I see your gorgeous smile, your intense look when you are deep in thought, and the laugh............oh that laugh ! So deep and so full, I miss that the most I think. When I see something ridiculously hilarious I say to myself, "Andrew would love this." I have all the memories of sledding and cartoons and ice cream cones, and giant steps and red light, and hide and seek all saved and put away where I can get at them quickly. When missing you seems to much to take, I imagine the beautiful spaces that you have designed around the world, I imagine people still, even after you are gone, in awe of what they are seeing. Very soon the fire flies will be here and they always remind me of you. I send my love to you, I know you can feel it................I'll catch some fire flies for you if you save me a swing.
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