I never knew my town had so many flags until they were lowered in memory of former President Gerald Ford's death. I counted 17 on my route from home to the kids' school. It's funny how I didn't even notice the flags were there before they were lowered. Actually, maybe I did notice one or two of them on a particularly windy day when they seemed to be waving ferociously, but even then I was thinking about how windy it was outside, not the fact that there stands a flag, a statement of so many things for Americans. Not until they were lowered did I really pay attention.
It is a good thing to have a visual reminder when someone has died, like the flag being lowered. Maybe then, when we see it, we will think of something we loved about that person, what they meant to us, what we will miss about them and maybe even prompt us to send the family a card or send up a prayer for them.
While on my own journey through grief one of my many fears have been "what if people forget about Russ" or "what if they forget how painful his loss has been for us". That would be horrible, for someone who gave so much of himself to his family, friends, church, work and community, to be forgotten. The gifts and love he gave would still go on, and yet the man erased as if he never existed. I cannot let him or the impact of losing him be forgotten, so I feel as if I have to keep my own flag (my heart) at half staff, that maybe I will be that visual reminder for the world not to forget Russ. I fear, like with the American flag, that once it is raised to it's normal, every-day height, the world will drive by, not see it anymore and forget.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Phillipians 1:3
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TJ... no one will ever forget Russ/Rusty. As you pointed out, he made a huge impact on all of the world around him. Whatever he touched he left his 'rusty' mark. (His 'rusty' mark is brilliant compared to the common man's mark)
I know what you mean about not wanting people to forget about him, but your heart doesn't need to be a reminder. My reminder is knowing you and knowing your children. True your heavy heart reminds us of what you've personally lost, but if your concern is people forgetting Russ, they never could. He could never be forgotten. I'll never forget my loved ones, even without a reminder. Please don't punish yourself and your heart by feeling that you need to be this 'flag'. Russ was his own flag. He made himself known, heard, and felt in the short time that he was here. He lives on in each and everyone that he knew... and if I had to guess, even in some people that he didn't know.
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