Day 20: Catching Fireflies on Memorial Day.

I thought I would be all caught up after two days here but I am in fact way more behind than when I arrived. Yesterday we cleaned, organized, and cooked all day for the big memorial day party they have each year. Last year the children read poems about what memorial day is all about, this year we were so cram packed we didn't have a chance to do that. After most everyone was gone the children ran around with a mason jar I had punched holes in the top of and caught fireflies [lightning bugs in the south]. Darting back and forth through dusk their laughter roared above the sound of the cicadas. At one point I joyously joined them running around until I [finally] caught one. After playing a game of apples to apples with the fireflies lighting up the table the children took them outside and let them go into the night, back to their lives. Back to their lives - where so many men and women would like to be but instead gave that up. They gave up their lives so we would be able to barbecue with our families. They gave up their lives in order that we could have food to eat and places to go. They gave up their lives so our children could catch fireflies. Thank you - to all those men and women - who gave us the chance to catch fireflies. That is what Memorial Day is all about.