The other day, I was surfing through a website which showcased the works of various photographers. While surfing, I came across the work of one Mr. Todd Heisler which was named Final Salute. I casually clicked on it and what passed my eyes tore me till my soul and raised questions which are still unanswered but are raised more often than not !!!
He captured the MOMENTS BETWEEN THE MOMENTS of a ceremony called Final Salute which is performed by the US Army in which the body of the deceased soldier is ceremonially laid to rest by an Honor Guard of the US Army. "Moments Between The Moments" mean the Real and non-ceremonial ones where the emotions of the family were captured by this gentleman.
He captured many families but laid emphasis on the then pregnant wife of late 2nd Lieutenant James Cathy who was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, Katherine Cathy. I swear that the tender moments between the wife and her late husband's body shook me completely. The picture in which she keeps their wedding flowers, his favorite perfume and an ultrasound image of their unborn child in the coffin, the image in which she touches her belly on the coffin of her late husband, image in which the body of James Cathy is being taken out of the plane and the one in which Katherine is sleeping beside the coffin of her late husband the night before her burial for she wanted to sleep with him "One Last Time" are, although, concerning one family but are the tale of all families all over the world which have someone in the forces.
When I came out of the office that night, for me, everything ceased to have any meaning, everything was still. I was constantly thinking that whichever the country, the emotions are the same, tears flow with the same intensity, be it India or US. The politics around the world pushes these young men in the wars and conflicts and, in the end, what remains is the crying wife, parents and orphan children while the politicians marvel or brood at the materials gains or losses.
I understand that wishing to have a warless world is a far cry and there is no point wishing that but, at least, we can refrain from having worthless conflicts like the ones in Afghanistan and Iraq or the constant conflict between India and Pakistan for a little piece of land. By doing this, we can prevent another Lt. Saurabh Kalia (a soldier killed during Kargil) from being butchered and help another Katherine Cathy from giving birth to a child who can see the world on his father's shoulders.
I urge the leaders to think of that mother who so wishes that her son rises up and fights with her, the father who would do anything to have his son argue with him or the wife who would trade the world for that one kiss of her man. But that would never happen because that son and the man has been sent for an eternal sleep, a sleep to let u be awake and see the glitter of yer material WIN !!!
MTC
