I live in Los Angeles

this is from my brother Haywood interesting bit of his observations and thoughts his "PERUSALS"
post Memorial day rendering of a pre Memorial day awareness, thoughts are timeless in relating an on going experience. enjoy the read.  i thank him for his appreciation of the country and it's trust in our armed forces to keep his dreams alive. God Bless Bro.

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I live in Los Angeles. A lot goes on in Los Angeles, noticed and unnotice

 days, not every day, I go through the intersection of Veteran and Wilshire. The L.A. Federal Building is on the south, and the National Cemetery is on the north.

For the better part of a year, I barely noticed workers ripping up the sod, cleaning headstones, replacing sprinklers, etc. We're talking about the whole cemetery; a HUGE cemetery!
Slowly I started paying more attention to the goings on.

What impressed me most was that this was happening at all. This is a time in our lives when it almost seems frivolous to spend time and money refurbishing a cemetery? That people hardly notice let alone give honor and respect?

That made it one of the proudest observances I've made as an American. To see how much effort and resources were used to make Veterans have a final resting place long after their service has been fulfilled. Gone but not forgotten.

There have been a lot of things said about what this country does wrong. But we really got this one right. Usually when we plant something, we expect to see something grow that we can easily recognize. Trees, flowers, corn and the like.  

But what is growing in this cemetery is Honor. Dignity. Respect. Care. Those things make us appreciate the tangibles so much more. It makes me appreciate the United States even more. I am not a veteran, so I will never be able to be part of that place of honor. But I am honored to live in a place that recognizes service of its people. Thanks for our freedom, even if we overlook it while we are busy being free.