I will admit that I wasn’t feeling the most patriotic as I drove to the RiverFront Freedom Memorial the afternoon of July 4. It was pouring down rain.

Taking photos and writing notes and trying to hold an umbrella are impossible, so I just put on my raincoat, tucked my camera inside the coat and stuffed a small notebook in my pocket.
Luckily, there was a small tent set up and other media was standing under it, so I grabbed the opportunity for a little dry spot.

Unfortunately, I stood right at the edge in the corner and didn’t realize the rain water was still running down the back of my legs and into my coat pocket. My video camera and case was soaked when I got home as well as my pants.

But as I stood there in the pouring rain, I looked around at all the people under their colorful umbrellas. Some, such as members of the Patriot Guard, had no umbrellas at all, just a hat or raincoat.

Then, when a few who spoke mentioned what a small sacrifice it was for us to stand in the rain compared to the sacrifices the men and women who fight for our country make, I got a lump in my throat.

This is so true. I can’t even begin to imagine the hardships these service men and women endure. Inclement weather is likely the least of their complaints. They are away from their families for long periods of time and daily they face the danger of being killed.

The memorial ceremony was perfect, even if the sun was not shining.

In fact, I think the rain made it even more significant. Because the ceremony was not canceled due to the weather showed what a priority it was.

It was even more special for me because my grandparents attended the ceremony. We purchased a paver for my grandpa’s birthday. My grandpa served as a medic in World War II.

When we found his paver at the memorial, he took a picture of it while my grandma stood by him and smiled. She looked at me with tears in her eyes, and said, “This is once in a lifetime.”

It certainly was, and I’m glad I got to share it with them.