Veteran

pop pop, on a dapper day

I have all sorts of issues with war, and dying, and militaries, and governments. Because of my inability to relate to a person's reasons for joining the military, my private parental sadness I feel whenever I hear one of those ads on the radio from the Marines congratulating yet another local high-schooler by name for taking the first step, I've never known what to say to a serviceman on veterans day. They've made choices I would never make, seen things I will never see, done things I will never do. But they have also carried out orders I cannot stomach, hurt people I will never get to apologize to, and represented my country while doing it.

I was on a crowded flight several months ago, juggling babies, and a grandmotherly woman in the row behind me was trying to get some smiles out of them. A man in fatigues boarded and started down the aisle. As he passed us, the woman turned, touched his arm, and said "thank you for your service." He smiled back, nodded, and continued down to his seat. She returned to playing with the boys. It wasn't veterans day, but there was something in the simplicity of her statement that spoke of a respect without judgement from an older time.

I may not feel moved to say it every time I see a person in uniform, but especially since it's veterans day,

Thanks, pop pop, for your service.
Thanks, dad, for your service.
And thanks to everyone else.