Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Veteran's Day in Rindge


I wanted to remind my 16-year-old son that Veteran's Day is more than just a day off from school, especially since his 26-year-old brother is over in Iraq with the US Army. We headed out to Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge, which has special ceremonies every November 11. (Why so far? Because my 16-year-old is working on getting his driver's license, and this road trip let him log 2 hours of supervised driving.)

From the Cathedral's web site: "The Cathedral of the Pines’ educational programs and public events honor service to the Nation by promoting peace, interfaith understanding, and respect for the natural environment." Symbols of the various branches of the military are displayed on the grounds, and there's a special memorial to women in the armed services. We spent time (not nearly enough) walking over this serene place.

The altar pictured above, dedicated to our nation's war dead, is made from stones gathered from every state in the Union. As you can see, Mt. Monadnock is just a few miles away. It's a fitting place to honor veterans from every era. Long drive for a short walk, and worth it.