My Mother Told Me I Could Not Wear My Uniform At The Memorial Until A Veteran Stood Up

Was not cheerful. My girl thinks distance means failure.

Need to tell her it doesn’t. I sat down hard. Mom came closer, then stopped, unsure.

“He also wanted you to have this,” she said, returning with the folded flag case. “Mom. That’s yours.”

“He wanted you to have it eventually.”

Her hands tightened around the case.

“I don’t know how to do this,” she continue reading …