A young boy at the Memorial Day ceremony.

A very young boy came with his family and sat in the plastic chair beside my own this morning. The family had arrived for the Memorial Day ceremony, held on the flight deck of the USS Midway.

The small child was very fidgety. As speakers spoke solemnly of the sacrifice of others, and of very serious things like honor, duty, courage and dedication, the little boy wiggled about at the edge of my vision.

Lt. Col. Lynda Hilliard, an Army nurse, gave the keynote speech. As she talked about two wars and the sacrifice of other nurses who desired only to heal, the little boy thrust his arm in front of my face.

I was immediately irritated. Oh, come on, I thought to myself.

The boy was pointing toward something off to the right.

Then I heard the bird chirping. (Did you hear it, too?) I had been concentrating on the powerful words of the speech.

A small bird, perched atop a nearby helicopter, was just visible to the eye. The young boy had heard and seen it, and was taking joy in pointing it out to the world.

The boy was happy, living without a care in a world where he was free.

And it occurred to me: that Security, Freedom and its Happiness, in this old world filled with everlasting trouble, is a gift from those who have unselfishly sacrificed.

I gazed in wonder at that small chirping bird for a few moments, too.

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