A Thank You

Today I was thinking about what happened a few days ago while I was at work. Really affected me, and had to share my thoughts.

An elderly woman was behind this young military man in my checkout lane at the Piggly Wiggly. I was checking out the soldier when the elderly woman turned and spoke to the solider. 

She said "Thank you for your service young man." 

The look on this young man's face was one I will never forget.. his whole face lighted up with sincere gratitude and humbleness. 

I smiled. This was a great moment of a person expressing gratitude for someone else's sacrifice and dedication. 

What really stood out to me, about this event, was the ability of the elderly woman to tell this young soldier thank you.

So many times, I have wanted to say thank you to someone, in everyday situations or to military men and women especially, but did not have the guts to do it. Why? 

Thank you Servicemen. (Flickr image by USAG- Humphreys)

As I ask myself this, I guess it comes down to your own pride and what others think of you when you say something random and simple like that. 

But to think deeper, to say thank you to people when you really feel gratitude is what you should do if you are thinking of your pride. Because the simple things that we say to each other, like thank you or I love you are the things in life that matter the most. Along with apology. 

To express your value and love to others adds to your character, and says to the world, "I know who I am, and I am proud to be able to say things that come from my heart." 

Human beings are imperfect though, and continue to say things and do things that we know are not right, or not true. But we can strive to do the right thing, and pray to God that we can do it when the right moments come that will never come again.