Seven Bow Memorial School students stood in line waiting to shake Shawn MacDonald’s hand.

He’s been shaking a lot of hands lately.

MacDonald, 22, a lifelong Bow resident, returned from Iraq May 21, after serving with the Marines, completing his active duty following four years of service.

In honor of his service, MacDonald was asked to speak during Bow Memorial School’s annual Memorial Day assembly on Friday, May 23, where he had simple advice for the gymnasium full of students.

“You really need to respect everyone who has served in the military just for the fact that they understand what it is to give up your freedom,” MacDonald said.

Only 48 hours after his 2004 graduation from Bow High School, MacDonald was off for 13 weeks of training. Having enlisted during his junior year, MacDonald was ready to leave Bow.

“I set that (the short amount of time before leaving) up by design,” he said. “I wanted to get there as soon as possible.”

Life as a Marine changed MacDonald a great deal.

“How hasn’t it changed me?” he said. “The major thing is understanding freedom. Until I actually sacrificed my own, I never really knew what having that freedom meant.”

The Bow resident was a member of the Second Intelligence Battalion in Iraq, where he enlisted as an infantryman. MacDonald stayed in touch with friends and family via e-mail, but those who know him will be glad to have more personal conversations with him.

“I feel so blessed to have him back. There are so many parents who haven’t been as fortunate,” said MacDonald’s mother, Connie. “It will be nice not having to talk to him over the cell phone, I can look him in the eye.”

According to family friend, Ed King, having MacDonald back means relief for everyone involved.

“To have him back is so nice. The best part is knowing he’s safe, and seeing his parents be able to relax finally,” said King. “It’s been four years of waiting to breath, waiting for the phone to ring. When he came back, the pressure was off.”

King hosted a surprise return party for MacDonald, who returned to his friend’s home following a motorcycle ride with his father, Mike.

As he pulled into the driveway he saw tents, food and people waiting to greet him. He knew many of the faces, but several he didn’t know waited to greet him and thank him for his service, including Bow resident Eric Barricklow, who recently returned to town after serving a year and a half in Afghanistan with the Army.

Mike MacDonald said although he is glad to be able to exhale with his son being home, he joked that he now faces a new challenge.

“It’s very tough with some of the things he’s told me, and some that I’m sure he hasn’t,” he said. “It’s a relief that I don’t have to worry about him anymore. Now I just have to worry about what he’s doing here in town.”

Standing in front of Bow Memorial students was a different feeling for MacDonald.

“It is strange. I don’t think of this as a personal honor,” he said. “I think it is more of them honoring the military, and I just happen to be wearing the uniform.”

The students got to see firsthand the meaning of Memorial Day as the assembly came to a close. MacDonald stood in silent recognition as 27 names were read, and a moment of silence was held for those 27 New Hampshire soldiers who had lost their lives during combat in Iraq, followed by the playing of ‘Taps.”