My Son's Namesake

Memorial Day.

A day that used to mean a day off from school, a long weekend, barbecues with family and friends, and a hint of the summer to come. How much more this day means than most people realize. Today I am reflecting on my son's namesake, Lance M. Thompson. Lance was killed on November 15th, 2004 in the same accident that wounded my husband. He was 21 years old. He was a patriot, a wonderful friend, and most of all, he loved the Lord.

In a letter Lance wrote to his father a few months before he was killed he wrote this..."Freedom is not free. It requires sacrifice." And he truly believed that. What a wonderful legacy to leave my son. And though I say his name daily, true reflection on his name and the man my Lance was named after always makes my heart ache, as a wife, as a mother, and as someone who loves this country.

I know Lance believed in what he was there for. But I wonder what he would think of this "transformation" that is supposed to happening to our country. Can things in this country be improved? Of course. There's always room for improvement. But does our country need to be transformed? No, that would imply that it's not the greatest nation on earth, that it is wrong in it's entirety. And I don't believe that. I believe that there's always room to IMPROVE, yes, but transform, no. I believe Lance fought and died in Iraq to continue our freedom, our liberty, and to give those people even a glimpse of the freedom and blessings we all enjoy here. I don't want to see this nation transformed, that's not what he fought for, that's not what he died for.

This Memorial Day, instead of gathering for fun and giving no thought to the true meaning of this important day, I will hold my family close. I will look my husband in the eyes and thank him for his sacrifices. And I will look at my son, and remember a man. A man who gave his life for what he believed in, and gave my son his name.