Memorial Day
Originally uploaded by Elessar

Meet Mr. Gray.

He's the Band teacher at my daughter's High School. He's in charge of the Marching Band, and all the other instrumental music at the High School. He's a really great guy. He is able to demonstrate his passion for the precision and beauty of music for hundreds of students each and every year. His students and their parents are touched by his love of music and working with young people, teaching them to love music.

This image was taken at the Memorial Day Dedication to the Grounds of Remembrance in Dublin, OH. The Marching Band marched with the color guard to honor service men and women who had given their lives for all of us. After the ceremony at the cemetery, Mr. Gray and the squad leaders from the Marching Band continued on to the Dedication ceremony. After the dignitaries finished speaking and everyone had started to leave, one of the Army service women who was part of the squad firing the 21-gun salute, came up to the squad leaders to tell them how much it meant to her to hear them playing Taps during the ceremony. I don't think that any of those students will forget that moment. She had tears running down her face as she described how important it was to hear that music and how much it meant to her.

I captured this image during the dedication ceremony. You usually see Mr. Gray, standing, straight and tall during a football game, or concert, or civic ceremony, and he usually has this little smile on his face. I don't know what's going on inside his head, but I guess that he's thinking about how proud he is of his students. They work hard and do an excellent job. I'm going to miss being around Mr. Gray. My daughter graduated from High School this past weekend and I won't be involved in Marching Band, or Concert Band, or the Theatre shows. But I've got this really nice image.