Life Lost, Love Remains

This weekend I was honored to take photographs at a beautiful military funeral for a life well-lived.

A friend lost his father. He lost the man who cared for him growing up, who inspired him when he encountered difficult times and who eventually relied on him during the last year of his life.

I think we all know this circle of life – we all come into this world with nothing. We all leave it with nothing. What we do in between ~ how we live our life, how we treat others, how we lead with our heart, how we love ~ that is what remains, whether we are on this earth for a relatively short amount of time or a long amount of time.

But no matter how many years one spends on this earth, for the person who loves the deceased, that time never is quite enough.

Yet we continue to honor their lives through the way we live our lives. We keep their memories alive by telling their stories, by living the values they taught and by following in their faith-filled footsteps.

The funeral was beautiful. The gentleman who passed away served in the Army Air Corps during WWII. The ceremonial flag folding, the 21-gun salute, Taps … all of it was incredibly powerful.

It made me realize how few military funerals I have attended. And, though I personally didn’t know this brave combat veteran, I cried.

I cried because I can’t imagine being engaged in combat. I cried because the world lost a hero in his passing. And I cried because a man lost his father, and a father left his son.

But I also cried, because a man went to be with the Father. And his faith was strong. And he is home.