Red Shirt Friday

RedShirtFridays.org has a tag line that reads, "They Bleed Red So We Wear Red." Who is Red Shirt Fridays? It's an organization that exists solely to show support to our servicemen and servicewomen. They do this by wearing red every Friday. They do this so our servicemembers know we have not forgotten them.

This past week I attended two military memorial services. For me, it felt like losing one of my own. Two mothers lost a son. Two wives lost a husband. A child is now without a father and another child, soon to be born, will never meet his father.

I watched as my husband kneeled before the father of a fellow soldier and presented him with an American Flag in honor of his son's service.

I stood with other military mothers and presented a Gold Star Banner to a friend as she mourned the loss of her son.

I quietly listened as my son, who is a sailor, told me of his first time folding the American Flag for a servicemember recently killed in active duty. This is far from his first funeral. He has helped honor many as they are laid to rest.

But this is what we do. We honor them. We remember them. So today I will wear red. How about you?


I'm joining Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday. Lisa has created a wonderful community where many others come together and write for five minutes on a prompt she provides. It's a beautiful thing. Today's prompt is: Red.