Everyday we see acts of kindness and thanks from everyday Americans.  The below story actually brought me to tears as I read it today.  It reminded me of one time in particular when I returned from the Gulf and was eating lunch at an Airport in New York late at night with a few of my fellow comrades.  As we went to pay for our meals, the waiter told us that an older couple who had saw us walk in had paid for our meals and presented us a handwritten note that simply stated "Thank you for all that you do"

The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat.
It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps
I will get a short nap,' I thought.
Just before take-off, a line of Soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the
vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.
'Where are you headed?' I asked the Soldier seated nearest to me. ' Chicago - to
Great Lakes Base. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then
we're being deployed to Iraq '
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were
available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached Chicago
, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.
As I reached for my wallet, I overheard the Soldier ask his buddy if he planned to
buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably
wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to Chicago '
His friend agreed.
I looked around at the other Soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the
back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a
lunch to all those Soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her
eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a Soldier in Iraq ; it's
almost like you are doing it for him.'
Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the Soldiers were seated.
She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'
'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front
of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This
is your thanks.'
After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the
rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it.
Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the
aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for
me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane.
When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, 'I want to
shake your hand.'
Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a
booming voice he said, 'I was a Soldier and I was a military pilot. Once,
someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was
embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who
was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake
mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.
When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane.
Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in
my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another
twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the Soldiers gathering for their trip to the
base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will
take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God
Bless You.'
Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow
travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe
return. These Soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only
give them a couple of meals.
It seemed so little...

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check Made
payable to ' The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and
including my life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people in This
country who no longer understand it.'

Credit to:  Brent Ferguson