
Then I got the honor of being the lead sign carrier for Do Salute in the Wausau Christmas parade. It was amazing seeing all of the young boys saluting, the grown ups who "know" clapping and yelling,and the parents whispering to the children that didn't understand. Two moments stick out to me in memory. First was the two ladies on the bridge saluting me. My thought was that I did not deserve that honor and that they need to salute the flag coming up behind me. Then they yelled to me, "That's what your sign says." Amazing. And my favorite one was the dad with his two little girls in the car on the side of the road. I saw him whisper to them to get ready as we came out to them. They started clapping furiously and one of the little girls (probably about 2) leaned out the window (just a little) and yelled, "God bless America!" Absolutely fantastic.
Watch the movie, read the book, contact a Veteran's organization or any of the military branches and see what you can do to help make someone's Christmas just a little merrier. Do it for the fact that you have the ability to read this without fear. That you can drive down the road and not worry. That you can say "Merry Christmas" and not be worried about getting tortured. the fact that I can sit here with my girls and not worry about who's driving down the road or who may be flying over my house is all because of these wonderful soldiers from the past until the beginning of this country. I thought it was fitting to write this to post the day after the Pearl Harbor remembrance.
Have you hugged a soldier today? I know I have.
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