During the stand at the cemetary today.  A poem started coming to me.  I had a hard time trying to remember it.  But, a snippet:

Black tree standing against a darkened sky. 
You are only sleeping. You did not die. 
The same as this soul we return to the earth. 
Lord, take it on home and reward its worth.

The cemetary is often difficult when taps is played and the 21 gun salute is done.  Today, there was a point when the sobs (from the mother, I think) were able to be heard from a good distance. That was difficult.  Sharyn stood beside me… and fought back tears.  It is never an easy thing.

When we arrived today, I started to introduce Sharyn to one of the guys who I have done a couple missions with.  He said something like, “You’re not with HIM are you,” to Sharyn in jest.  She said, “It depends on what you mean by ‘with’.  I rode here with him, but I’m not *with* him.”Later, she was trying to get back to where I was standing holding her flag and needed to pass between him and another.  I didn’t hear what he said.But, as she approached, I heard her say something like, “We’re *not* together.” Later, he said he thought maybe we were brother and sister or something, the way she got offended.  She always makes a point of making sure that people know we’re not a couple. It’s an issue… or important to her in some way.I have my theories.