A Moment in Time

One sunny, warm fall day a sizable anti-war rally was held in our nation's capitol. The crowd was estimated to be between 100,000 and 150,000 people.

Nationally recognized individuals as well as ordinary citizens expressed their opinions. Voices were raised and the protesters to the ongoing conflict in Iraq made their feelings known loud and clear.

But they were not the only one's seeking to be heard.

As these citizens exercised their constitutional right to protest, others exercised their equally important right to counter-protest.

A much smaller crowd of citizens lined the street being marched by the anti-war protesters as they made their way through Washington D.C. This crowd of counter-protesters was there to voice their opposition to the views of the anti-war participants.

Each side was separated from the other by the thin blue line of the Washington D.C. police department. Not an enviable position.

As the anti-war protesters streamed by the counter-protesters there was a great deal of unfriendly comments hurled between the two groups. Each side believed in their cause. Each side vigorously defended their cause. Members of each side aggressively shouted their position to the other side, across that thin blue line.

One of the anti-war protesters making her way in history was marked by a gold star upon the left breast of her blouse. The gold star marked the location of a damaged heart, part of it dying in the sands of war. In my most ardent imagination I cannot imagine such pain endured by this mother. No one could doubt the sincerity of her protest. There were, however, those who protested her message.

One of those protesting her message was a retired defender of democracy. A former member of the United States Air Force who proudly served our nation, and it's citizens, for over 23 years. Although for many years he supported our Constitution, including the right to protest, he was angry at the anti-war protesters, feeling that such protest could jeopardize the well being of the troops currently deployed in dangerous parts of the world. Willing to defend to the death our nation's Constitution, and therefore the right of protest, he was not willing to abdicate his own right of protest and he drove down from Boston the night before just for the opportunity to express his opinions.

What beauty. The right of protest shared equally by both sides.

So there they were, the gold star mother and the retired veteran. Protesting on opposite sides of that thin blue line; on opposite sides of issues; in some ways on opposite sides of the earth.

How odd. Two opponents juxtapositioned by the common goal of safely bringing our troops home yet separated by opinions on how to best serve those troops.

The veteran was loudly expressing his views to the anti-war protesters. Why, I'm not sure, other than to exercise his right to protest. Certainly not to win the hearts and minds of the protesters marching down the avenue. Emotionally charged rhetoric, shouted over a policeman's shoulder, rarely causes someone to abandon their beliefs and jump ship.

Likewise, the anti-war protesters angrily shouted at the veteran and his companions, and for what reason? To convince?

So much emotion on both sides. So much yelling. Calm reason takes a holiday. Mr. Emotion Goes to Washington.

The gold star mother marches her protest, perhaps with images of her child in her head. I hope the child was proud of her. It could be that this was an act of courage for her, and we should be proud of her courage if such was the case.

The gold star mother marches down the avenue, turns her head, and makes eye contact with the defender of freedom vigorously projecting his view. Their eyes lock and things change. Just like that. A scene out of a movie. The gold star mother and the veteran stare at each other and in the blink of an eye connect with the soul of their opponent. Sound fades. Scenes fade. It is now only the mother, gold star upon her left breast, and the veteran with the baseball cap proudly stating his years of defending democracy. The gold star mother breaks her view of his soul, looks up at his cap and then back down at his eyes.

The gold star mother says "Thank you".

Thank you.

A mother who raised, nurtured and protected her child only to have that child die too young while serving our country. And through all that pain says "Thank you" to a veteran.

Thank you.

The veteran calmly looks into the damaged heart of the gold star mother.

The veteran replies "I'm sorry".

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry for the immeasurable grief that permanently damaged your gold star heart.

I'm sorry.

For just a moment, two people on opposite sides of the protest connected.

Respected.

For just a moment Mr. Emotion Took a Hike Out Of Washington .

The gold star mother held her view for just a moment longer and then turned to continue her march.

The veteran watched her go, not agreeing with her message, but understanding her cause.

Alas, as it is wont to do, emotion bulldozed it's way through this all too brief snooze alarm of reason and reawakened with a vengeance. The previously focused view of two people now widens to include the crowds marching down the avenue; the thin blue line; and the counter-protesters along the sidewalk. Sound returns and fills the air with uncommunicative chanting and yelling.

A moment in time. Just a sliver. A brief interlude in which two people on opposite sides of an important issue calmly communicated with one another. A display of mutual respect.

I wish they could have calmly sat down and discussed their differences.

I wish we all could.