Taps

guest blog by Nila Ridings

The first time I ever heard Taps, I was at Girl Scout camp. We sang it when our eyelids were heavy and our sleeping bags were calling our names. It relaxed me at the same time it created a rush of excitement in anticipation of waking up to a new day of celebrating friendship and learning. After that time, I mostly heard it during televised burials. On that bitter cold day in March when my dad was laid to rest, the final sounds of the service were of the trumpet echoing over the lake as Taps bid him a final farewell. I will always cherish that send off to my hero.

Here we have a Tacoma, Washington neighborhood bidding the daily sun a good-bye with Taps all because of one man, their cherished neighbor, Don Brittain. In his heart, Don is playing those notes to honor those who serve in the United States military. But the notes he echoes across Puget Sound are bringing a sense of peace to all within earshot as well.

From the video interviews and the variety of homes and paint colors I tend to believe this is not a homeowners association. But I wonder, what if? What if someone blew Taps at every sunset in America’s HOAs would it bring peace and mellow out the war zones? Or would the HOA board decide it was a reason to fine, lien, and foreclose on the trumpeter’s home?

Is there anything humanly possible that will bring peace to these nightmare HOAs? Or will that only come when these dilapidated poorly-constructed townhomes are laid to rest in the landfill while the earth is being excavated for re-development? Perhaps thenTaps will be blown for the betterment of all.

I found these videos to be very special, I hope our readers will, too.

(another story on trumpeter by KOMO TV, Seattle)