Service and Sacrifice

While my daughter was on leave this summer she shared a story with us that reminded me that there is STILL some good in this world.  


Ashley and several of her shipmates were traveling from Chicago to Meridian, MS, but had to lay over in Atlanta. The kids had a 2-hour wait and were basically running on no sleep so they set out to find a Starbucks to load up on caffeine to get them through the next leg of their journey. 


The kids walked into Starbucks, all 7 or 8 of them, and placed their orders. In the process of placing their orders a man came into the cafe and pushed his way to the front of the line in front of the kids. They were all wondering what the heck this guy was doing. 


Ashley said the man blocked the Sailors from paying for their purchase, he told the cashier,  "I've got this, all of them" and proceeded to pay for ALL of their drinks and snacks. 


He walked up to each of them and shook their hand and told them, "It's the least I can do for you for what you're doing for us, thank you".  And then he left. 


This single act of appreciation had such a profound impact on these kids. They all just stood there staring at each other like "What the heck just happened?". They had experienced their first act of gratitude from a total stranger. And it was this total stranger who restored my faith in my fellow man. As my daughter shared the story, I had tears running down my face. People come up to her, total strangers, and hug her or shake her hand and thank her. I don't know if they are Democrat or Republican, all I know is... for at least just this once, we are in unity and agree and our hearts are all in the same place. 




I've been feeling kind of down lately. I chalk it up to all of the negative things that wash over us every day via the news media as well as the hate and discontent amongst my fellow countrymen. it seems that no one agrees on anything these days and it isn't just a matter of disagreeing, it's so volatile.

Believe what you want, but if you're going to believe it, at least make sure that what you're believing is the truth and based on facts. So FEW people do that these days. Don't be a pawn in a game none of us are destine to win, but instead only the politicians who use our differences to separate us.

I am a military mom and a police wife. I have a daughter in the United States Navy who is serving two tours in Yokosuka, Japan , a son who is enlisting in the Air Force upon high school graduation and a husband who has given 32 years (still giving too) of his life to protecting and serving at just about every level of law enforcement. The pride I feel when I talk about my family can't be measured in words, you need only look in my eyes to know how very proud I am of them. I believe I have earned the right to brag about all 3 of them and most of the time, I just can't help but do so. :)

I know there are many military and police families out there that feel the same way I do. Yet, when people get together all they can focus on is their difference of opinions. We owe our troops more than that right now, we owe them unity. Only a military family knows how tough it is to be away from the one you love. Only a police wife knows what it's like to lay awake at night until she hears that car pull up in the driveway telling her he's home safe another night. And only a military mother knows how hard it is to watch her baby go off to serve their country, usually thousands of miles away from home and mom's help.

Today, I just want to ask all my readers to take a moment to be thankful for those who have made the sacrifice and are serving at home and abroad to keep us safe and ensure our freedoms. Freedom isn't free, those of us who love these selfless individuals know that only too well...

Here is a video that makes me forget the difference of opinion I have with my neighbors, this video reminds me we are ALL in this together!