"Sir, please think about all the Iraqis that have been killed by the U.S. Army," said a 60 ish woman in a sorrowful voice after she read the sign.
As this woman, with shoulder length black hair peppered with gray, dark brown eyes and olive skin sat in her car staring at the sign, I asked "Are you an Iraqi?" "I am," she replied softly.
Even as I write this summary many hours later, the sadness in her eyes haunts me and I can hear the ache in her voice.
In Iraq yesterday. 41 Iraqis were killed and 138 seriously injured. Most were killed by car bombs, although suicide bombers also took their toll, as the violence continues.
Thousands of miles away, last night's vigil was held in a rainy mist and a 53 degree temperature as a sporadic icy breeze chilled the air even more.
But with many drivers honking their horns or waving or applauding as one woman did, it warmed the night, making it feel almost toasty.
The holidays are a tough time of year for many parents who have lost their children in these wars [or lost their children from other causes]. This vigil and the people who respond to it tell them they are not alone and that what they feel really matters as we welcome them into our hearts.
Dick
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