Terminal D, Friday Noon
Posted on July 21, 2008
Filed Under Life, Personal
Let me share some thoughts from an experience from last week, at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport:
They came along the upper deck of Terminal D. Three and four across, they strode the walkway toward an unknown destination. Men and women in combat fatigues. Carrying packs and gear bags, they were obviously back from a tour of duty in the Middle East.
I first became aware of the clapping several gates down from where we sat eating lunch. And as the wave of applause came nearer we joined in. Many in the terminal stood to honor the soldiers as they passed by.
One man raised his glass in a toast to those warriors who, having fought for the freedom that we enjoy and too often take for granted, were finally coming home.
Home to be reunited with loved ones and friends. Home to recover from the wounds, physical, or emotional - or both. Home to a daily routine that doesn’t revolve around the threat of IEDs, planning escape routes, weapon readiness and patrols. No known enemies here, no bad guys to engage, no need to say goodbye to fallen comrades. They were coming home to safety, security, serenity. And they surely needed, wanted and deserved to be home.
The applause continued. On and on those soldiers came. The clapping kept on going, as well. It was an emotional scene. I found my eyes tearing up as this kept on for at least seven or eight minutes. So what that my food had gone a bit cold – I was sure these brave men and women had had plenty of cold meals, plenty of interrupted lunches, while they served in Iraq, or Afghanistan, or wherever they had been for months. I could enjoy my entrée’ in a few moments. This was a moment to let go of my own selfish interests and to express gratitude to those who risked it all for me and for my family.
I wanted to capture this moment and never forget.
How I wanted my wife to see this. How I wanted my kids to be here, so they could catch a glimpse of the honor being afforded these warriors. I hope they will one day have the same kind of opportunity, the privilege, to one day give a round of applause for some soldiers passing through an airport.
So they never forget.
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Wow, that is awesome to hear about that scene. Thank God for our military - fighting tirelessly for our freedom.
What’s also a great testimony is that the greeting group is organized by Gateway Church in the Dallas area:
Praise God when the Body of Christ begins to look more like Christ!