Unexpected Lesson From Gettysburg
MonkeyCrash has not been updated for a few days due to a much needed vacation. I’d like to steer away from my usual political rants in order to share this brief story from my vacation.
If a fireman pulled you from a burning home would you thank him? If a police officer protected you from a would be mugger would you show gratitude? What if a doctor saved your life when all others thought you were a goner? Would you want to shake his hand?
I was at Gettysburg this week touring the famous battlefield believing I’d gain a better knowledge of the events that took place there. As our tour began our tour guide stepped on the bus and I immediately turned to my wife and said, “I didn’t know Steve Carell was giving this tour; sweet”. My wife did not appreciate my humor but he really did have a resemblance to Steve Carell.
About halfway through our tour our guide mentioned that he was just back from the Iraq War. That was when a pesky thought entered my mind. Here I am learning about heroes from the Civil War and I have a living breathing one right in front of me. He will never have a monument marking where he has been. His name will never be in a history book. But he is a hero in every sense of the word. Then the pesky thought evolved into a guilty feeling. How many times have I walked past someone in uniform and not thanked them for their service? They have; or are willing to put their life on the line to protect me and my family and I like most others simply walk past them.
At the conclusion of the tour I decided that I was going to go up to this man and thank him for his service. As we stepped of the bus I told my wife I’d be right back. I walked over to the tour guide shook his hand and said, ” Thank you for your service in Iraq, we appreciate it.” He replied, “My pleasure, thank you for that.” No this was not a momentous occasion, just a few simple words, but how can I not say thank you to those who serve our country.
I learned a lot about Gettysburg this week, but the most important thing I took with me was a new found gratitude for our men and women in the Armed Forces.
MonkeyCrash is Your Source For Conservative Opinion.
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