HORSEPOWER & HEELS

As I stood in the security line at JAX airport very early Saturday morning to make my way to Nashville there were about 60 or so older gentlemen in wheel chairs wearing yellow wind breakers waiting in a security line(just for them). I thought wow, that's odd - must be a Shriners convention or some senior citizen group travelling somewhere. I thought - that's nice and continued to suck down my Starbucks before the guy made me trash it.

About 5 minutes later and when I was about the 3rd person away from the guy who scribbles on your boarding pass, gives you that glaring dirty look and then sends you on to the next herding line, A younger woman in her 30's loudly blurts out "Excuse me ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to take notice and give a round of applause to our WWII veterans who are on their way to Alaska for a reunion cruise".

You know, I immediately turned around to take another look and realized that they were a group of about 150 not 60 but I only noticed the ones in the wheel chairs. At that moment, everyone ofcourse started to clap and cheer. As, did I. The weird thing was I couldn't help but getting choked up. And, I am talking really choked up. My eyes started tearing and I couldn't help getting terribly emotional. I felt like I just wanted to run up to each and every one of them and give them a big hug and thank them. And, it reminded me that this isn't the first time I have been in such a situation and every time before this one I recalled getting just as emotional. As I am writing this I am getting a little choked up. What a sissy, I guess I am.

Anyway, so there I was, awe struck in a way. I was so proud to have seen them there and felt honored that I was one of the dozens of normal everyday people that were able to cheer and clap just to let them know how honored I was to applaude them and how even though they fought, came home and started a life post WWII that has since gone on longer than mine, I am still inspired by them.

I couldn't help but think of them the entire trip to Nashville. Because, I on the other hand, spent 4 days pissed off and miserable because it would not stop raining. 30 inches of rain in two days. Didn't get the yard work done, didn't want to go to the grocery store, complained I was getting cabin fever. The kids were driving me crazy because they were couped up. I was miserable because of some dumb low pressure system that dumped a bunch a rain on my area. I was praying it would at least be sunny in Bowling Green. I jokingly told Erica on the phone if it is cloudy when you pick me up from Nashville airport I am going to flip.

How whimpy and complacent and spoiled we all are. Can you imagine being a soldier in WWII, I thought to myself. I felt like a jerk. What a brat, I am. God, it made me feel so petty and weak. I asked myself, was I actually complaining and being non productive from rain. How about bullets flying at you. Or, Mustard Gas like in WWI, how about worn shoes in nasty cold weather, frost bite, fatigue, gee fighting to stay alive, even... Wow, I was embarrased of myself. Whining about a little bit of flood damage and some rain.

Yeah, my heroes have always been our soldiers. Days like Saturday reminded me of why. It's amazing how they can keep us grounded and push us to be stronger and strive to be better people from what they sacrificed for us so long ago. I wish I could tell them all that. We really do remember. And, we really are thankful. I hope they know that inside their aging hearts.
God bless our troops. All of them.