Thanks SM. Its important to do our small bit for these brave heroes....
On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 4:30 PM, S M <[email protected]> wrote: > HONOUR > > > > JUST REMINDER > > > I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. > It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read > and perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought. > > Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all > the > vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. > 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. > > 'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for > special training, and then > we're being deployed to Afghanistan. > > After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches > were > available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the > east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.... > > As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to > buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of > money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. > I'll wait till we get to base ' > > His friend agreed. I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying > lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a > fifty > dollar bill. > 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed > tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in > Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.' > > Picking up ten sacks, > she > headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were > seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - Lamb or > chicken?' > > 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to > the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first > class. 'This is yours with thanks.' > > After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for > the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of > it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars. > > Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Aircraft Pilot coming down the > aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking > for > me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. > When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, 'I > want to shake your hand.' > > Quickly unfastening my seat belt I stood > and took > the Captain's hand. With > a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, > someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I > was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers. > > Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who > was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to > shake > mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm. > > When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just > inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt > pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another > twenty-five dollars! > > Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the > base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will > take you some time to reach the base. It will be about > time for a > sandwich. God > Bless You.' > > Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow > travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I > whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all > for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. > > It seemed so little... A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, > wrote a blank check made payable to his country for an amount of 'up to and > including my life.' > > That is Honor, and there are way too many people who no longer understand it! > > > > > > -- GOD BLESS Thanks & Regards SHIJU MATHAI --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "BETTER PERSONALITY GROUP" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/BETTER_PERSONALITY?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
