It's Nice to be Appreciated…

It’s nice to be noticed, so to speak, from a wholly unexpected source. This is possibly the nicest note that wasn’t from my mother or wife that I have ever received.

My company does not take this day as a holiday. To be fair – just before I joined the firm, we traded it for the day after Thanksgiving, so we get a corporate four-day holiday. So, today I took a day of vacation, as my Rotary Club does a pancake breakfast fundraiser (disabled vets eat free).

Then, because this year I’m the President, I did the whole “royal wave” thing from the Rotary float in the parade. The Castle Technical (an M38A1 jeep with a 75mm M20 recoiless rifle mounted – eat your heart out!) missed this parade.

I came home at lunch to find this in my corporate email box, reprinted here with the kind permission of the author. It was sent to everybody in the office, hence the generic greeting:

Dear Veterans,

It doesn’t take a special day to remind me how much I appreciate you. It does, however remind me to tell you.

I’ve worked many, many places over the years, but never with veterans [how is that possible?]. I can’t tell you how much you have affected me with the ethos you practice; you have taught me more in the last twelve years about honor and team than I’d ever known previously. It’s a part of you–a part that elicits my admiration–a part that makes me want to be a better person in your footsteps.

So, more than thanking you for serving and protecting our country, I want to thank you for providing me with the best role models in my life of integrity, honor, commitment, and responsibility. I’m still learning, and with your continued presence in my life, I will grow more.

Thank you for performing jobs that I can’t even imagine doing–jobs that have kept me safe and free.

L B.

I don’t begrudge this person one minute of the time I spent on the ramparts looking out, so that she could live her life as she does. I’ve gotten a lot of well meant and sincere “Thank you for your service” handshakes over the past 10 years. But this, bar none, is the bestest one ever.