On April 14 I was privileged to be in the presence of greatness.  By being in attendance at the New Jersey State Purple Heart dinner, I was in the midst of people who protected me and my country.  How often are we able to express our gratitude to these men and women who were willing to lay down their lives for other?  By forsaking their own safety, they offer themselves in place of we who cannot or in most cases, will not, do the same.

My attention was drawn to a small table located in a place of honor near the head table.   It is a way of symbolizing the fact that many of our armed forces are missing from our midst.  Today they are commonly called POW’s or MIA’s. We call them Patriots. They are unable to be with us this evening and so we remember them.

The table set for one is small. It symbolizes the frailty of one prisoner against his oppressors.  The table cloth is white, symbolic not of surrender but of the purity of their intentions to respond to their country’s call to arms.  The single rose displayed in a vase reminds us of the families and loved ones of our comrades who keep faith awaiting their return.  The red ribbon tied so prominently on the vase is reminiscent of the red ribbon worn upon the lapel and breast of thousands who bear witness to this tragedy and with unyielding determination, demand proper accounting for our missing.  The table is also a Seder of military nature:  a slice of lemon on the plate to remind us of our their bitter fate.  There is salt upon the plate, symbolic of the family’s tears as they wait.  The glass is inverted, they cannot toast with us tonight  The chair is empty, they are not here.

The POW/MIA flag is the banner proclaiming our resolve.  This was the time to recall the plight of our POW’s and MIA’s.  They were comrades in arms.  We depended on them for aid and support.  Surely they would not have forsaken us.

With this past Memorial Day weekend, how many of us will took time to remember the great sacrifice so many of our men and women made for our safety.  It is imperative that we not forget the past.

– Barbara Skokan