by Penny Hunt @PennyLHunt

Four Flames of Honor

A Tribute to Military Wives

by Penny L. Hunt

 

I Am The Flame of Faithfulness

And I pass to you the flame of steadfast devotion.

I have kept you from being weary in well doing,

honored your vows and zealously defended your

loyalty to cause, country, God and mate.

 

In little and much, I have made your handshake a

promise and made you worthy of the faith and

trust others have in you.

 

I have dulled the blade of desire and helped you

turn away when surely it would have been easier

to surrender.

 

I am the glow of the candle left burning in the window.

I have watched and waited, suffered long, worn a

yellow ribbon and patiently listened for familiar

footfalls in the hall.

 

I am the faithfulness of a military wife.

 

I Am The Flame of Adventure

And I pass to you the flame of bold undertaking.

I have challenged and stretched you.

I have taken you to the limits of mental,

emotional and physical endurance.

 

Yesterday, I kept you from looking back when you

sailed from country and home or crossed deserts in covered wagons.

Today, I turn your face and heart toward the

unknown as you board planes for places halfway around the world

or drive SUVs and U-hauls along unfamiliar roads.

 

I am the remarkable experiences of life,

the breeding ground of stories told to grandchildren.

 

I am the joy, thrill and games of life.

 

I introduce you to new characters, cuisines, and critters.

I make you laugh when you feel like crying

and cry when you should be laughing!

I am joyeau de vivre, the desire to know yourself better,

and the urge to climb higher!

 

I am the adventure of being a military wife.

 

I Am The Flame of Courage

And I pass to you the flame of undaunted resolve.

 

I have stood with you through every age.

I have held you firmly as you send your husbands,

sons and daughters to war.

I have been there with you as you bid them farewell,

then turn to walk alone,

and again, on the day they return,

changed forever, wounded or in flag draped coffins.

 

I have helped you let go of bikes without training wheels,

follow when you long to remain, remain when you long to follow,

and set your face like flint to dress the wound, speak the truth,

and face the press.

 

I pass to you the memory of those who have gone before you,

lest you ever forget their spunk and unflinching valor.

I have lifted your chin, steadied your hand, pushed back

your tears and braced your buckling knees.

 

I am the courage of a military wife.

 

I Am The Flame of Tradition

And I pass to you the flame of established order.

I am kept alive in the symbols of hope, ceremonies

of honor and noble legends told by those whose

paths you now walk.

 

You have risen to your feet, bowed your head, lifted

your glass, paused for colors and covered your heart in my name.

 

I am the unwritten form, the unspoken expression,

etiquette, ceremony and rules of decorum.

 

I am tradition and in my name you have made

command performances, entertained, endured

the boring speaker and fought the wind for

your skirt!

 

I am numbered gun salutes,

and I am folded flags placed in your hands

as taps sounds.

 

I am hats off, or hats in the air, a moment of silence,

an arch of swords, a motto, a symbol and

red poppies on Memorial Day.

 

I am the traditions of a military wife.

NOTE: This poem was the first place winner in the 2016 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference First Place Winner.

Penny L. Hunt is The wife of a retired naval officer and attaché. She’s moved five children (yours, mine and ours), pets and all her earthly possessions from the coast of South Carolina to Hawaii, Europe, South America and back.  When it comes to change – Penny get’s it!

In addition to being a member of the Military Speakers Association and an approved speaker for Stonecroft International, Penny is also a published author.  Her writing includes Bounce! Don’t Break, the Amazon.com bestselling children’s book, Little White Squirrel’s Secret – A Special Place To Practice with contributions in the Chicken Soup series and Fighting Fear – Winning The War At Home.  Penny is also the Faith Column for the Citizen News of Edgefield County and a popular on-line devotions writer for Christiandevotions.us,