Memorial Day prompts us to meditate on the sacrifices of those who lost their lives in the fight for peace and freedom. On this day each year, I tend to follow the trail out my back yard to the Fort Boise Military Reserve Cemetery. A sobering place.

Today’s photograph was obtained with my Zero Image pinhole camera loaded with T-Max film. It shows one of the Unknown Soldier gravestones with the American flag blowing in front. This soldier, whose name was lost to time, died in the Indian Wars. Nothing is known of his age or actions. He is laid to rest in a place of honor.

But, I believe, in addition to honoring the soldiers who fought in previous wars, we should honor those others who died fighting in their own way for freedom and peace. Such as the Native Americans who died in the wars named after them. They also died for the peace and freedom of their people - but didn’t get much of either. Or the civil rights activists who were murdered trying to ensure the rights of Blacks and other people of color. The LGBTQ+ leaders who were hated for personal lifestyle choices and killed because of it. Police officers who fell protecting fellow citizens from harm.

Peace and freedom are not won only through wars. Many of the most important battles occur everyday, battles to provide rights to the oppressed, to preserve civility, to prevent insurrection, to protect the weak and meek among us. Each of us can make a contribution in this battle. We can call out a racial slur as unacceptable, we can express disapproval of sexist jokes, we can intervene when a woman is being harassed. This, too, promotes peace.

So, on this day, I honor all those who gave their lives in the struggle to bring peace and freedom to their own corner of the world. RIP.