As I walked through an airport earlier today, it happened.
Approximately fifty service men and women in loose formation approached me.
As they walked through a large atrium full of people grabbing lunch and relaxing between flights – the clapping started.
Then, everyone stood up and continued to clap as the young men and women marched through the atrium.
For sixty seconds, my little corner of the world paused to say thank you for the sacrifice they make each day, so we can live free and safe.
Talk about perspective. They headed off to war and I headed off to a speaking engagement. All of a sudden my problems all seemed very small.
Fantastic moment, Jim. Thanks for sharing it with us. I had a similar experience earlier this summer. My 86-year-old father, a WW2 Veteran who flew bombing missions over Nazi Germany, flew home from Florida for the summer and was seated next to a young man flying home from Afghanistan for the birth of his second child. They came off of the plane together, and the young man took the American flag patch off of his uniform and handed it to my Dad as a sign of respect. Talk about putting things into perspective, right? Both of our moments remind us not to take our frankly luxurious lifestyles, globally speaking, for granted.
Sue
Sue,
My Dad may have flown fighter support for your Dad. Next time you speak with you Dad ask if the 364th fighter group ever flew support for them. …and yes most of us live pretty comfy lives here in America.