DONA NOBIS PACEM 05/29/00

Subj: Mindwalkers - Dona nobis pacem
Date: 5/29/00 12:18:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Mindwalker1910

It is 11:15 a.m. and a crowd of Bryn Athynites are gathered at the flag pole in Boro Park to honor our nation's veterans. The cathedral overlooks the ceremonies from atop its hill.

I miss the ceremony. Every Memorial Day, Pete and I would get the kids ready, load up the buggy if there was a little one, and off we would go, up Alden Road, up the Black Path, to South Avenue and across to the park. Now, as back then, there are speeches, the Boys Scouts march, the Girls Club leaves a wreath at the memorial, everyone will join in singing the national anthem, a group from a near by VFW post will fire off a volley in memory of those who fell, someone will play "Taps" in the distance, and there will be a moment of silence. I am with them all today, if only n my heart.

For some still inexplicable reason, one year they asked Elsa to speak. She wasn't a veteran, wasn't a teach or community leader. Apparently, the person scheduled to speak fell through and the head of the selection committee worked at Prudential and so did Elsa and they ran into each other at the elevator and the other person saw her opportunity and took it. Elsa, never one to turn down a chance at a "jolly pulpit," came on board.

Elsa was 8-years old when Mike joined the Navy. He served in the Reserve while in high school and got his active uniform almost as soon as he got his diploma. The slogan is "Join the Navy and see the world." Mike did. He had the great good fortune to be a plank owner (original crew) of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, on which he made two tours of duty of the Mediterranean. But what stopped our hearts back home was when the Enterprise took part in the Cuban Blockade during the Cuban missile crisis. That was scary. Mike and his shipmates were part of anuclear-powers showdown on our very doorstep that had us on the brink of unimaginable war. Like we had in the Great War and World War II, back home we waited and prayed.

Elsa's talk at Boro park focused on those uncertain times, times which most of the adults standing around the flag pole could remember in some way, and how it was for those of us waiting, waiting, waiting. She threw in her favorite bits of Lincoln, including doing right as we see the right. Then she did a gutsy thing - she lead the gathering in song. Elsa does not have a pitch-perfect voice, so I was startled when she came out with the request to sing. She got us all into singing the round, "Dona Nobis Pacem." It was pretty raggy, but we did it. Mim and I knew as soon as we heard Elsa invite everyone to join in that it was more than simply appropriate to the moment, that the tribute was pulled from a family-favorite M*A*S*H episode that honored Father Mulcahey and his work of peace among the ravages of war.

May you all have a memorable Memorial Day, whatever flag your service men and woman serve under. May the Lord continue to "Give us peace."

Love - Mum L.

<< My thanks to Lori Nelson (and loving thoughts of her parents, especially Lou) for the words to "Taps" ~ "Day is done, gone the sun, from the lake, from the hills, from the sky. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh..." >>

reposted with sweet memories of its author, KATHARINE REYNOLDS LOCKHART, by her scribe/daughter, Elsa Lockhart Murphy (aka Deev) in celebration of KRL's centenary