I thought I was doing okay today, then I went home for lunch. They were showing Matthew Commons' funeral in Arlington National Cemetry. I lost it when they played taps & continued to drip while his family received his medals and the flag.
It reminded me far too much of my grandfather's funeral (WWI), my father's funeral (WWII) and my uncle's funeral (WWII, Korea, Cold War). Both my grandfather and father could have been buried in a military cemetry, but our family chose not to. My uncle, however, was buried with full military honors in Arlington. However, Matthew Commons was 21 and died in combat in Afghanistan. My grandfather, father and uncle lived long, full lives.
I'm still shaky.