This was sent to me by a friend and I thought it so good, I had to share it with you here.
As a Company, Southwest Airlines is going to support 'Red Fridays.'
Last week I was in Atlanta, Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed One of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.
Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camos. As they began heading to their gate, everyone (well almost everyone) was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.
When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and Cheered for, it hit me.. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red-blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.
Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.
Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our Service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old ran up to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said 'hi.'
The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her.
The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.
The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter Courtney missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up ..
When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second. Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military-looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it.
After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, 'I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you.' He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying 'your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and
He is coming home very soon.'
The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.
As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness, turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.
We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.
RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing red every Friday.. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority'. We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers.
We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing.. We get no liberal media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions. Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops.
Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday - and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear
Something red..
By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.
If every one of us who loves this country will share this with
Acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be longbefore the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once 'silent' majority is on their side more than ever; certainly more than the media lets on.
The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is...We need your support and your prayers.
Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear something red every Friday.
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Showing posts with label soldiers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soldiers. Show all posts
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Memorial Day
Today we remember, that's what a memorial is, a remembrance.
In my cedar chest, I have a treasure from my parents' lives. Medals my father won in high school because of his athletic prowess, certificates of recognition he received during World War II's nightmares in Europe. My father was a medic and a man of great courage and leadership ability during his years in the military. I marvel when I look at pictures of him in his dress uniform and in his everyday military attire. These are simply tangible mementos of his abilities and courage, and the courage of his buddies, some of whom came home and others who did not.
During the same war, his cousin Eric was a Commander in the British Navy. Sometime during that treacherous time, his leg was crushed between two battleships. He recovered and continued his military career for several more years, fighting for our strongest ally and in turn, for us.
I recall my Grandma Scott, who came to America from England during World War I, traveling on a cattle ship. Along with her came her mother and her great aunt. Talk about courage to travel 3000 miles in embattled waters, for the privilege of experiencing the opportunities and freedoms that could be found by immigrating to the United States. My Grandfather (not then married to Grandma) had already come and contributed his weaving expertise to the New England textile mills. Many British came, many Germans and Italians came, to find a better life in a new world. Most of them came through Ellis Island in New York, past the famous Statue of Liberty "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . . ."
I remember my Mother telling of one of the horrors of war while my father was overseas. Just across the street from their duplex, was a small grocery store. Each day one or two uniformed military would enter that store, find out the location of an address they held on official U. S. Government papers, and would then walk or drive to those addresses, delivering messages of gloom, injury and death to wives or parents of loved ones serving our country. Each day my mother prayed that the knock would not come to her door. It was not only the men in uniform who suffered, but the wives and parents who waited and hoped for the war to end.
I remember Vietnam and its incredible atrocities, 9/11 and the terror on our soil, and the resulting conflict in Iraq. Memories are stories of the heart and mind, symbols of days gone by, sometimes hidden away until some stimulus from the present brings them vividly before us again. Memorial Day is such a stimulus!
On this day of remembering please recall with us the greatness of our country for which these men and women fought, the liberties they sought to defend and the leaders who were worth following. Perhaps our remembering and our prayers will reawaken sleepy pride in our land and rekindle some sort of determination to keep our country great enough to fight for and true to its founding principles and its God.
In my cedar chest, I have a treasure from my parents' lives. Medals my father won in high school because of his athletic prowess, certificates of recognition he received during World War II's nightmares in Europe. My father was a medic and a man of great courage and leadership ability during his years in the military. I marvel when I look at pictures of him in his dress uniform and in his everyday military attire. These are simply tangible mementos of his abilities and courage, and the courage of his buddies, some of whom came home and others who did not.
During the same war, his cousin Eric was a Commander in the British Navy. Sometime during that treacherous time, his leg was crushed between two battleships. He recovered and continued his military career for several more years, fighting for our strongest ally and in turn, for us.
I recall my Grandma Scott, who came to America from England during World War I, traveling on a cattle ship. Along with her came her mother and her great aunt. Talk about courage to travel 3000 miles in embattled waters, for the privilege of experiencing the opportunities and freedoms that could be found by immigrating to the United States. My Grandfather (not then married to Grandma) had already come and contributed his weaving expertise to the New England textile mills. Many British came, many Germans and Italians came, to find a better life in a new world. Most of them came through Ellis Island in New York, past the famous Statue of Liberty "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . . ."
I remember my Mother telling of one of the horrors of war while my father was overseas. Just across the street from their duplex, was a small grocery store. Each day one or two uniformed military would enter that store, find out the location of an address they held on official U. S. Government papers, and would then walk or drive to those addresses, delivering messages of gloom, injury and death to wives or parents of loved ones serving our country. Each day my mother prayed that the knock would not come to her door. It was not only the men in uniform who suffered, but the wives and parents who waited and hoped for the war to end.
I remember Vietnam and its incredible atrocities, 9/11 and the terror on our soil, and the resulting conflict in Iraq. Memories are stories of the heart and mind, symbols of days gone by, sometimes hidden away until some stimulus from the present brings them vividly before us again. Memorial Day is such a stimulus!
On this day of remembering please recall with us the greatness of our country for which these men and women fought, the liberties they sought to defend and the leaders who were worth following. Perhaps our remembering and our prayers will reawaken sleepy pride in our land and rekindle some sort of determination to keep our country great enough to fight for and true to its founding principles and its God.
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