I am the last person who should be writing a diary on this topic. I ignored IGTNT diaries because I was incurious as to what the acronym meant. Finally, after months on this site, curiosity got the better of me and I was ashamed.
Here, on this blog that features diaries from the incisive to the trollish, was a never ending wake and I didn't bother to take the time to pay my respects.
The latest IGNT diary, a beautiful tribute by greenies, is a memorial for Spc. Keisha M. Morgan, age 25 and Lance Cpl. Drew W. Weaver, ate 20. My heart was broken again looking at pictures of those two beautiful young soldiers.
How long has this series been going on? How many of us by-passed these diaries? I had to find out. Not being jotter, I scrolled through pages and pages, pencilling numbers on a piece of scrap paper -- I was astounded. On April 7, 2004, i dunno wrote the first I Got The News Today diary. He/she received a sum total of 5 comments. Subsequent diaries only received one comment. The last comment I found by i dunno was posted on April 21, 2007, and I felt as if I lost someone I never knew.
Since that first posting, Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, MsWings, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, moneysmith, labwitchy, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn and, greenies have faithfully watched for the most recent postings of war dead and gathered personal information into painfully beautiful tributes. A new and faithful member, a girl in MI has joined the family of diarists.
Five Hundred and Twelve diaries -- most with multiple tributes. Five Hundred and Twelve diaries, memorial services, wakes to our young brothers and sisters.
From those early days when single digit comments were routine, today IGTNT often makes the rec list for a short while. Sometimes there are reminders in other diaries or Open Thread, nudging folks to pay your respects or just recommend the diary.
I am late in paying my respects. I try to be mindful and faithful. I only ask you to join this small community for a moment when you see a diary posted. It is painful, I understand, but there is also a sense of quietude and an opportunity for reflection. I know that our common hope is that these diaries will come to an end soon.
Peace and blessings to you all. May our mother earth give comfort to these young souls who have been taken from their loved ones too soon.