Rest in Peace

Rest In Peace, Proud Warrior
Life in the Empire, Losses

And now I’d like to take a short break from the ranting and raving in order to reflect for a while on the ones who’ve given their lives for my right to do so.

I can think of no better way to do so than to post this picture that LC Juandos submitted to a comment thread on this site.

It is an “old” picture, meaning that it wasn’t taken yesterday, but it is a timeless one as well and, to me, it captures the ideas of grief, loss, pride, duty and honor perfectly.

Most of all, I can’t watch it without choking up.

Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News


The night before the burial of her husband’s body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of ‘Cat,’ and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. “I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,” she said. “I think that’s what he would have wanted.”