Powerful, I had to pass this on - A great belated veteran's day message!!

I got this in an email today. I thought it spoke volumes and had the need to share it, after my eyes dried. Thank you to all my veteran friends.


A great belated veteran's day message!!

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day,
pushing my cart of groceries towards my car,
I saw an old man with the hood of his car up
and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door
open.

The old man was looking at the engine.
I put my groceries away in my car, and
continued to watch the old gentleman from
about twenty five feet away.

I saw a young man in his early twenties with
a grocery bag in his arm walking towards
the old man. The old gentleman saw him
coming too, and took a few steps towards him.

I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood
and say something. The young man put his
grocery bag into what looked like a brand new
Cadillac Escalade. He then turned back to the
old man. I heard him yell at the old gentleman
saying:

"You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at
your age." And then with a wave of his hand,
he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the
parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief,
and mop his brow as he went back to his car and
again looked at the engine.

He then went to his wife and spoke with her;
he appeared to tell her it would be okay.
I had seen enough, and I approached the old man.
He saw me coming and stood straight, and as
I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having
a problem.'

He smiled sheepishly, and quietly nodded his head.
I looked under the hood myself, and knew that
whatever the problem was, it was beyond me.
Looking around, I saw a gas station up the road,
and I told the old man that I would be right back.
I drove to the station and I went inside.
I saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of
them, and related the problem the old man had
with his car. I offered to pay them if they could
follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the
shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting
his wife When he saw us he straightened up and
thanked me for my help. As the mechanics
diagnosed the problem (overheated engine),
I spoke with the old gentleman.

When I shook hands with him earlier, he had
noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented
about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too.
I nodded and asked the usual question,
'What outfit did you serve with?'

He had mentioned that he served with the first
Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal ...

He had hit all the big ones and retired from the
Corps after the war was over. As we talked we
heard the car engine come on and saw the
mechanics lower the hood. They came over to
us as the old man reached for his wallet, but
was stopped by me. I told him I would just put
the bill on my AAA
card.

He still reached for the wallet and handed me a
card that I assumed had his name and address
on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We shook hands
all around again, and I said my goodbye's to
his wife.

I then told the two mechanics that I would follow
them back up to the station. Once at the station,
I told them that they had interrupted their own
jobs to come along with me and help the old man.
I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they
refused to charge me.

One of them pulled out a card from his pocket,
looking exactly like the card the old man had
given to me. Both of the men told me then that
they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again
we shook hands all around and as I was leaving,
one of them told me I should look at the card
the old man had given to me. I said I would and
drove off.

For some reason I had gone about two blocks,
when I pulled over and took the card out of my
pocket and looked at it for a long, long time.
The name of the old gentleman was on the
card in golden leaf and under his name was
written: 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'

I sat there motionless, looking at the card and
reading it over and over. I looked up from the
card and smiled to no one but myself and
marveled that on this day, four Marines had all
come together because one of us needed help.
He was an old man all right, but it felt good to
have stood next to greatness and courage,
and an honor to have been in his presence.
Remember, OLD men like him gave you
FREEDOM for America. Thanks to those who
served and still serve, and to all of those who
supported them, and who continue to support
them.

America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war.
America is at the Mall.
If you don't stand behind our troops,
PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!
Remember, Freedom IS NOT free.
Thousands have paid the price, so you
can enjoy what you have today.
LET'S DO THIS - JUST 19
WORDS:
GOD OUR FATHER, WALK THROUGH MY
HOUSE AND TAKE AWAY ALL MY WORRIES;
AND PLEASE WATCH OVER AND HEAL MY
FAMILY; AND PLEASE PROTECT OUR
FREEDOMS, AND WATCH OVER OUR TROOPS,
‘WHO ARE DEFENDING THOSE FREEDOMS.
AMEN.

This prayer is so powerful.