Say Thanks

Yesterday I was sitting waiting for my plane to board at Minneapolis/St. Paul and there was a man dressed in his formal Marine gear.  He just sat down.  I wanted to say thank you for the sacrifice he was making, the same sacrifice many of my friends are making; yet my feet stayed planted.  I know I'm usually pretty outgoing, but I almost felt silly for wanting to go over to him.  Like he had heard it a hundred times or he might think I was weird.  Then I lost my opportunity, his flight boarded and he got up and left. 

Today I was watching the news and saw that at the airport in Denver (DIA) there are really only two places to come from the concourses.  The walkway (which few people use unless they're going to Concourse A and know DIA well,) and the escalators from the train.  There is one of those line guides that keep people back from crowding those coming up from the train.  I was unaware yesterday that the individuals with signs of thanks and cheering for members of our armed forces weren't their family or friends.  They simply went to the airport, paid for the parking, made the signs and waited for them to come up from the train.  They started cheering and clapping and saying thanks.

I know that our country, friends, & family are split on the war in Iraq, the sending of troops to surge in Afghanistan; however, it's Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Festivus, etc.  I hope you have more courage than I did and say thank you to a soldier you see traveling this holiday season.