Thank a veteran… it makes a difference

Posted on May 29, 2007 in Personal thoughts by DM

Like we do every year, we went up to our Iowa Viet Nam memorial on Sunday to place some flowers and give my DH a few moments reflection on that part of his life. There was a woman standing nearby who asked us if we knew how many Iowans had died in that war. We did a quick estimate of the number of names on the memorial and determined it was almost a thousand. Steve told her, I come here every year just to remind myself, there but for the grace of God go I. She nodded solemnly and then said to him, “Well thank you for your service - it was important and I appreciate it.” He sqawked out a thank-you to her, but it really choked him up.

A few minutes later, we went back to our bikes in the parking lot and there was another couple on a bike next to us, as well as another woman standing nearby who had been sharing with this other guy a couple stories about her brother who had been killed in Viet Nam. The other guy and Steve exchanged a couple stories, and as this other woman got in her car to leave she told both Steve and the other guy, “Thank you for your service.” Again, I could see that Steve was just really touched. He’s not used to this particular expression of gratitude. My point - and I do have one! - is just that if you ever get the urge to thank a veteran, do it. It means something.

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