Hats off to the pipers

I got home tonight and rushed into the house, thinking that tonight was Survivor night. (Yes, I am pathetic, I freely admit it.) Of course, tonight is Wed so when I put on CBS, Survivor wasn't on. Instead, 60 Minutes II, specifically a moving story about the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums was on, and what was said and shown brought tears to my eyes.

As you can probably imagine, since 9/11 they have been attending funerals constantly, piping in honor of those that have been lost. By the time tomorrow rolls around, they will have played at around 300 services and they expect to continue on past Christmas. Watching them as they slowly marched down the street was such a moving experience for me. It has to be an incredibly hard thing for them to do 3 or 4 times a day, and yet, somehow they continue on, even with the loss of one of their own.

Next time you see (or more likely hear) a piper, buy them a pint of Guiness and let them play for you.