I
recently got involved with an organization “wear blue,” which supports the
healing of Gold Star families through running together.
wear blue: run to remember
(wearblueruntoremember.org)
I
led the opening prayer in their Circle of Remembrance, before lining up on both
sides of the Marine Corps Marathon course, holding flags with the names of
their family members who died in combat hanging from the tassels.
Beyond
them, are plaques for their family members with their picture, name, branch,
and date of death.
This
was my invocation:
If You Would Join Me In
Prayer,
Source of Strength,
We thank you for giving
us this moment in time to remember our lost loved ones, creating a sacred place
of shared grief and healing, joy and pride.
Our scars, like our
running shoes have their own pace and distance to run, and we are blessed to be
part of “wear blue,” where our shared loss gives us strength to move forward,
lifting each other up – one mile at a time.
May remembering our
fallen this morning be accompanied with laughter, a few tears, but no
blisters.
As Moses said to
Joshua, “Chazak V’Ematz,” be strong and of good courage.
Amen.
