19 Rugged Beautiful Souls

As the fourth of July week-end winds to its final hours, some people will be fighting traffic to get home from the beach, the pool, the lake.  Some people who stayed at home, will light up the grill one more time and kick back for relaxation before the work week starts again in earnest tomorrow morning.  I’ve spent a good deal of time over this long holiday week-end thinking about and praying for the families and friends of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots that are preparing to memorialize their heroes.  Living thousands of miles away, I havent been able to hug my own son, but he must know I have been mentally hugging him all week-end.  I don’t know how hard it must be for the survivor of the team that perished, and I don’t know how hard it is for all the Hotshots still working and fighting wildfires across the Western states who grapple with the tragedy.  But I think that hugs and love and kindness will  help.

19 heroes.  19 beautiful and rugged souls on the way to heaven.