To Whom it may concern….a letter

It has been a couple weeks since you visited our home, but, I still look outside my window and think of you…and what you stole from us. We had placed a very precious item front and center in my garden. It was a 3’ x 5’ “Thin Blue Line” flag. This was a unique flag. It was a black and white American flag with one stripe in the middle that was bright blue. That blue stripe, (line) is a symbol of law enforcement officers. It represents the fact that they are the line between the communities they protect and the evil that lurks all around us.

I am not writing this to begin a debate on any events that have happened in this country.

I am simply writing to let you know what that flag that you took from us one August night stood for to me and my husband.

You see, we have a son that is a law enforcement officer. The department he works in is understaffed. It is not uncommon for him to be the only one from his department out in the middle of the night all alone in an entire county. It is also not unusual for him to take calls into the wee hours of the morning which results in as little as two hours of sleep in a twenty-four hour period. Our son does not share very much about all that he sees in a day. But, when I look into his eyes I know enough… I see the heart ache that he feels after having to knock on someone’s door in the middle of the night to tell them their love one is not coming home. I see the look of dismay as the news media twists the facts of an incident that he just came from. I see the disgust he has for the person he just caught in the act of beating his wife. I also see the a glimmer of disheartenment after he has been spit on and called the most vulgar of names. To me, that flag you took was the same as a service flag that a Blue Star mother hangs in their window for her children. It was not a political statement…It was simply a sign of support, love, and respect for my son and his “brother and sisters” in blue that are good people trying to make a difference in an evil world. It was a reminder that we appreciate them. That we respect what they stand for and that we pray for them every day.

“But you, O Lord are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.”
Psalm 86:15

I don’t know what you have done with our flag. Nor do I know what compelled you to take it in the first place. Maybe you were just being a silly teenager and thought it was harmless fun…I’ll never know, and it doesn’t matter. I just wanted you to know what you really took from me. I especially want you to know that I forgive you and I hope you have a good life.

We will put up another flag someday. Until then our faith, prayers and thoughts will still stand for our everyday heroes that wear a badge.
And to them I say,

“Hold the line men and women in Blue…we’ve got your backs.”