In 2009, my dad passed away. I attended the Shinnyo-en lantern floating ceremony. I floated a lantern in his honor. In 2015, my mom died. I floated a lantern in their memory. On that day I saw something profound.

I was holding my lantern and nearby, there was a group of men who looked like they were in the military holding theirs. The signal was given to float our lanterns. As we launched out lanterns, one of them wept inconsolably.

I overheard one of them say, “Your friends didn’t die in Afghanistan for nothing.”

I know there are those in our community who feel the lantern floating ceremony should be done another day; leave Memorial Day to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

However, if enlisted men can see the deep meaning of a shared loss of loved ones in the spirit of remembrance, who am I to judge?

Robert K. Soberano

Moiliili

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