It could just be me growing older and grumpier, adhering to tradition by falling out of touch with the world around me, but it seems like people don’t have the same amount of respect for the military that they did in my youth.
I don’t mean to tarnish everyone with the same brush – there are still plenty of people who go out of their way to make sure our servicemen and women are recognized and celebrated as they should be – but for some reason I just get the feeling that the appreciation for those brave souls who defend our country is at an all-time low.
Which is why stories like this one simply delight me.
It regards a post made by mom Heather Almond, whose son, Gavin, enlisted in the US Army with a view to serving and protecting his country.
Needless to say, a soldier’s basic training is the first step in his or her military career, and provides a taste as to what said soldier’s family can expect from there on out: namely, quite often a fair amount of time without their loved one being home.
That was the case for Heather, so she jumped at the chance to spend a weekend with Gavin at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Wanting to celebrate the occasion, Heather took Gavin out for lunch at a local sushi restaurant. Yet when the time came to ask for the check, both mother and son were met with a surprise.
“This weekend I went to visit my son at Fort Benning with my daughter and mother. He is at basic training and it was a family weekend. He loves sushi, so we found a Japanese restaurant,” Heather explained in a Facebook post.
“We probably ordered $100 worth of food and when we went to pay, the waitress said that the people at the other table had picked up or bill and they said to thank your son for his service.They were gone before I found this out, but I happened to snap a picture of my son that had one of the people in the background.
“I don’t know who she is, but I can tell you that it meant the world to us. We will find a way to pay it forward.”
What a brilliant gesture made by some kind-hearted strangers who wanted to thank Gavin for his service. If you ask me, we could do with more of this in today’s society!
